


Caelum et Terra

by Bluejaykat



Category: Winner (Band)
Genre: Castle in the Sky AU?, Fantasy AU, Gen, Kinda?, Magic, Sci-Fi AU, Seungyoon has powers, inventor!Mino, its like castle in the sky meets blade runner universe, mingyu is in there for like a second, pirate!Hoon, protective Jinu, protective Mino, pure Seungyoon, royal!Yoon, soft Mino, soldier!Jinu, some OCs, the big three are also characters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-19
Updated: 2019-06-04
Packaged: 2020-03-07 18:33:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 35,981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18878863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bluejaykat/pseuds/Bluejaykat
Summary: “What are you going to do to me? Why have you been keeping this from everyone?!” He yelled desperately, only to have the door slammed in his face.Seungyoon whimpered and curled up in a ball on his bed, fighting back the tears. Emotions swirled in his head: confusion, anger, frustration, and loneliness all at once. He only wanted...to learn everything he could to be a good president and now... Why didn’t anyone know about Terra? Why was it kept such a secret? What was going to happen to him??"******Seungyoon is the only son of the President of Caelum, the Three-Tiered Sky City. His dream is to be a worthy successor to his mother, but his curiosity leads him down a dark road from which there may be no turning back.





	1. Chapter One

Seungyoon was bored. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to learn how to become a good president; on the contrary. His greatest dream was the be the best president Caelum had ever seen. It was just that he felt he would be better prepared if he were going out and spending time with the people he was going to be president of instead of listening to some technical politics.

 

“The Sky City of Caelum is split into three tiers: Ciel, the lowest, Cosmia, the middle, and the royal city of Hanuel.”

 

Yoon dragged his hands across his face and sat lower in his chair. He already knew all of this. Ciel was towers and towers of sparkling glass greenhouses where most of the city’s food was grown, and below that, the technology that kept the city afloat. He had a few friends down there, and it was his favorite place to go relax and read, hidden among the exotic flowers on the highest floor. The royal house had plenty of hanging gardens, but he preferred it there in Ciel, out of sight and away from his bodyguards who practically stifled him with their zeal to protect. Besides, Grandma Amie was the one who tended to the flowers there, and she had so many amazing stories he could sit and listen to them all day.

Cosmia, which was his personal favorite, was the technology tier. All of the laboratories were there, and he was free to tour them whenever he wanted and see the latest developments in sky gliders or shield tech. It was also the tier with the shield techs and soldiers. Being thatCaelum was a floating city, it was absolutely necessary to shield it from the intense radiation of the sun, as it hovered well above the ozone layer of the earth’s atmosphere. This radiation was harvested by the shields which performed the dual function of protecting and collecting energy which powered the city. The shield techs were also the city’s defenders, who both maintained the integrity of the shield as protected it from attacks. They had yet to be attacked since they were literally floating in the sky, but they also kept order in the city. Seungyoon’s best friend, Jinu, was one of these shield techs; Second Lieutenant Jinu. Yoon smiled, his mind drifting away from the lesson to thoughts of his friend, who he was going straight away to meet up with as soon as this mind-numbing lesson was over...

 

“Seungyoon...” his tutor tapped on his desk and he sat bolt upright again, blinking up at the robot in surprise. “I understand this is not the most interesting of lessons, but please try to focus. Your mother wants you to be well learned about Caelum before you become president.”

 

“I’m very sorry. I’ll pay more attention.” He inclined his head apologetically, which the robot took as satisfactory and continued with the lesson.

 

“Lastly, tier Hanuel, the entertainment tier and home to the royal palace—“

 

Seungyoon conjured up a tiny ball of light and began weaving it between his fingers while he strove to act interested. All Caelans had blood of almost pure energy due to such constant close proximity to the sun, manifested by their constantly glowing eyes and white hair, but the royal bloodline possessed a special mutation that allowed them to actually manipulate the energy in and around them. Seungyoon had this magic, indicated by the royal mark, which was a naturally occurring rune on his left shoulder blade of an inverted triangle with a circle above it and three rays of light coming from the triangle. It was extremely rare and he was the only one besides his mother who bore this mark and ability.

 

“That concludes our lesson for today. You may go Seungyoon. I will see you tomorrow.” And with that, the hologram vanished, leaving the prince free to go.

 

Instantly he bolted for the door and ran as fast as he could to the transport that would take him to the Tier Cosmia. He tapped his palm twice and a hologram of Jinu appeared almost instantly.

 

“I’m finally done! I’m coming down!” He blurted excitedly.

 

“Yoonie, you should really come with your bodyguards. The shield is always dangerous, especially for the president’s son to just be running around. I wish you wouldn’t be so reckless sometimes.”

 

“Aw, you worry so much about me, Jinu. Please don’t stress so much, I’ll be fine. See you in a few minutes, I’m getting on the transport!” He waved gleefully and closed his palm, ending the call.

 

Jinu was a few years older than him and had a soldier’s caution; something that, while Seungyoon admired, got on his nerves. It wasn’t that the young prince was purposely reckless, but that he was far too trusting and had a bad habit of putting himself into dangerous situations without a second thought, only having others’ best interests in mind. It drove Jinu crazy, he would always tell Seungyoon that one day it was going to get him in trouble, as he hovered around him. Fussing, that was the word. Jinu always fussed. It was both endearing and infuriating, but he was Yoon’s closest friend, so he accepted it.

 

 

Jinu sat with his feet up on the control panel, watching the screens and monitors for any sign of trouble, whether with shield integrity or incoming pirates on a raid. It had been a quiet afternoon, and surprisingly clear. Jinu liked days like these, he could catch glimpses of Terra in between the clouds, which were usually a thick blanket separating the two cities. There were always clouds now. A thousand years ago, Earth’s rotation had been reversed due to an enormous passing comet’s gravitational pull, throwing off the atmosphere completely. Now it always was covered in a thick dense layer of clouds, blocking out the sun. The survivors had been split; some chose to leave earth and build a sky city: Caelum. Others had elected to stay and adapt on earth and had formed the great earth city of Terra. For a while, the cities had tried to stay in contact with each other, but one day the Terrans discovered something, something very dangerous. The blood of Caelans was pure energy and by far the most effective and efficient way of powering their technology. No one quite knew how they had discovered it, but ever since that day, the cities cut off contact with each other completely, and the Terrans would now try time and time again to kidnap Caelans to drag them back and use them for power. These were called Sky Pirates, and Jinu’s purpose was to make sure they never got in. So far, no pirate had ever gotten past him; quite a feat for someone so young.

 

“Jinu!” Seungyoon’s voice shook him out of his monotonous stupor of sweeping the monitors and he turned to face the boy, quickly hiding all information on Terra.

 

He felt guilty, keeping this from his best friend, but the fact that pirates existed at all was the city’s most well-guarded secret. Only the chief of security and the special shield techs knew about their existence, and if a raid was ever seen, eyewitnesses were dealt with quietly. Jinu wasn’t quite sure why it had to be such a secret, maybe to prevent mass panic, but it didn’t do much to prevent the raids from happening if ninety percent of the population didn’t even know they were happening.

 

“Hi, Yoonie! You’re quick.” he smiled, already feeling happier in the presence of the younger, who was bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet, hands behind his back.

 

Seungyoon beamed back at him, and immediately the lights in the room seemed dimmer. Caelans were walking energy containers, but Seungyoon literally glowed more than anyone Jinu had ever seen, even the president.  

 

“Aww Yoonie, come here and give me a hug.” Jinu stretched out his arms and engulfed Seungyoon’s small frame in them, squeezing him in a tight embrace. “How is the president today?”

 

“Mom’s good.” The other giggled punching his shoulder lightly and Jinu rolled his eyes, a small smile creeping in the corners of his mouth.

 

“I meant you, dummy.”

 

“Well, I had a really boring politics lesson I just couldn’t wait to be done with and I've been looking forward to hanging out with you all day.” Yoon pulled away and poked a few buttons only to be swatted away by Jinu.

 

“Hey you meddler! Authorized personnel only!” The soldier scolded disapprovingly, but with no real harshness. He could never become truly upset with Seungyoon if he was honest with himself.

 

“So how was your day?” The blond asked, unperturbed.

 

“Boring…” he laughed a bit awkwardly, “you know, nothing ever happens. But hey, I’m getting paid!”

 

Seungyoon smiled slightly, then frowned, thoughtfully running his finger along the cool metal of Jinu’s chair.

 

“Jinu, do you think that I’ll make a good president?”

 

“Of course! The best yet!” the older gave him a playful shake, but the royal didn’t reciprocate the mood. Instead, he just looked disappointed.

 

“Yeah, yeah, that’s what everyone says, Jinu. How do they know that? I can’t even pay attention during my politics lessons, and yet I’m daily assured that I will be the most successful president Caelum has ever seen. Jinu, what if they’re wrong? What if I do something terrible?!” his eyes got wide and small tears sparkled in his eyes, threatening to spill over.

 

Jinu couldn't bear to see him like this. Yoon, who was usually so confident, so sure of himself, so bright and happy, becoming suddenly unsure of himself, picking nervously at his clothes, shoulders drawn up to his ears, wrapping his arms around himself.

 

“I don’t know Seungyoon. I don’t know what will happen. But I do know that it's up to you what sort of president you are. All your choices are your own, and that’s what’s going to make you a good president.” Jinu paused, resting a hand on the other’s shoulder, “You’re a good person, Yoon. I believe in you.”

 

Yoon gave him a watery smile that nearly melted his heart.

 

“I’m glad.”

 

Just then, Jinu’s communicator buzzed.

 

“Yep, go.” He pressed the respond button.

 

“Lieutenant, is Prince Seungyoon with you?” A mildly panicked voice who Jinu recognized as the chief of the royal bodyguards came through the other end, and he turned to glare disapprovingly at his friend who grimaced and shrunk backward towards the wall.

 

“Yes. Yes, he is. He’s perfectly safe, I’ll look after him for the rest of the night.” He assured the man, who caught sight of the unfortunate runaway who was trying to hide guiltily behind his older friend.

 

“Your majesty...” he began tiredly, pinching the bridge of his nose, “if you could just tell us before you go running off to who knows where...”

 

“I'm so very sorry if I caused you distress, Jihan. But I’ll be okay. I have my tracking implant active, you can just watch me with that, right?” He offered a meek apology and waved his wrist hopefully.

 

“Aish. Have a good night, your majesty.” And with that, the call ended.

 

“He hates me...” came the rueful squeak.

 

“No, he doesn’t. But if he did, can you blame him? Yoonie, you’re very important to this city, you need to stay safe! Imagine if something was to happen to you! Your poor mother and sister! And what about me? I’d never forgive myself!” Jinu waved his hands as he closed down his station and transferred the watch over to the next replacement.

 

The young prince had been like that ever since he was little, always running off and wandering around.

 

_“Seungyoon! Seungyoonie sweetheart where are you?”_

 

_Jinu heard the voice of the president from down the hallway, the sound of her footsteps getting closer. He gasped and hurriedly clutched his books closer to his chest as he moved out of the way, off to the side._

 

_“Oh! Jinu honey, have you seen Seungyoon? He seems to have run off again.” she noticed him standing there, pressed against the wall as she hurried by and stopped to ruffle his hair. It made his ten-year-old heart swell with pride._

 

_“No ma’am, I haven’t seen him, I was um, um…I was going to come ask if he could play…” he looked up at her shyly from beneath his eyelashes._

 

_“Well, future soldier, could you do a big job for me and try to find him?”_

 

_Future soldier! Him! He puffed out his chest and brushed his hair out of his face, jutting out his chin._

 

_“Yes ma’am!” he sloppily saluted before scrambling off, discarding his books on the nearest available flat surface, mind entirely focused on his important task._

 

_“Who knows, Jihan,” the President turned jokingly to the head bodyguard, who had jogged up next to her, “someday he might replace you.”_

 

 

Seungyoon watched him calmly, and Jinu couldn’t find it in himself to be upset with the younger. It was a quirk he’d noticed about the prince was that the happier he got, the brighter he glowed.

 

“Alright come on, your majesty.” Jinu mocked teasingly, “let’s go take you back up to Hanuel.”

The two were quiet as they rode the transport back up the top tier, Seungyoon waving at a few people. It was a common sight to see the prince taking the public transport, he interacted so much with the people, so no one was really shocked. Jinu walked him all the way back to his room, even though Seungyoon assured him a hundred times it was unnecessary and grumbled the whole way.

 

Once he had said good night to Jinu, Seungyoon lay on his bed, staring up at nothing, waiting for the rotation to finish and envelop the palace in darkness. Technically, he knew it was dangerous to go out while the sun wasn’t shining on the city, but what he was about to do required the cover of darkness. Slowly, the shadows on the ceiling elongated, and he heard the announcement for blackout. That was his signal. Silently, he unlocked his door and crept out into the hallway as it slid open with a hiss. He produced light with his hand, a small ball of energy, which was what he practiced doing during class. He slipped into the nearest elevator which whirred to life, and input the code. He had it memorized by this point, he went here almost every night since he had found out. The elevator glowed red and descended. Down, beneath the royal palace to the archives. Precious few knew about the archives, let alone were allowed to have access to them. Seungyoon had found out about them by accident when Jinu had gotten very drunk one night.

 

 

_They had gone to Jinu’s favorite place, which was a fancier upbeat bar that sold some of the best-synthesized drinks on the tier. It was programmed to have a retro “neon” look, which was Jinu’s favorite old earth era._

 

_They were celebrating Jinu’s promotion to second lieutenant, and Yoon had jokingly asked him what he did to deserve it. At this point, the man had had quite a few drinks, and once he started talking, Yoon bribed him with several more. Apparently, according to him, he defended the city from what he called Sky Pirates, who were people from a city below ground. More drinks. Turns out Yoon could read all about them in the archives, but it was restricted to authorized officials only. More drinks. Alright, you know what, Yoonie, since you’re going to be president I may as well tell you. You access the archives from the elevators, and the input code is_

 

_2 2 1 9_

 

 

 

Beep!

 

The doors slid open to reveal a sight that never got old for Seungyoon. Rows and rows of data, all stored in ancient artifacts that were called “books”. They were thick organic creations made from plants that words were stored on. It was like reading, but off a tree instead of a computer. He hurried between the aisles, noiselessly, avoiding the cameras and detectors until he reached the aisle he wanted. It was all about Terra, the huge planet that lay beneath the clouds. Yoon had always thought it was inhospitable, but the records showed that it had once been green and capable of sustaining life. He read all about the comet and the Terrans who lived on earth still.

 

Yoon was deeply engrossed in his “book” and hardly noticed that it was almost morning until he heard the distant announcement that the rotation was almost complete.

 

“YAH!” he whispered as he stuffed the book back where it came from and practically sprinted back to the elevator.

 

Luckily, he made it back to his room without any incident and flopped onto his bed, exhaustion taking over. Groaning internally, he pulled the covers up over his head and tried to sleep, knowing he only had a few more hours left until they would be turning towards the sun again.

 

He couldn’t keep doing this. For one, it was physically drained from the long hours spent poking around in the archives, and for two it wouldn’t be long before the freakishly observant Jinu noticed and started asking questions about why there were dark circles under his eyes and why he was always napping instead of coming down for a visit. With these thoughts occupying his mind, Yoon drifted off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this idea has been in my head for a while, and I've been working on this since January when I fell in love with Seungyoon at Winner's concert in LA. Basically, this entire fic is just here to satisfy my love for Seungyoon and glitter. Hope you all enjoy.
> 
> P.S this fic is actually completely finished, so there won't be any horrible three month long pauses like with my other stuff


	2. Chapter 2

Mino took off his goggles and looked disappointedly at the sparking and clearly failed test of his invention. He ran a greasy hand through his dark hair and growled in frustration. This was his fifth try and he wasn’t getting anywhere.

 

“Mino? Where are you at?”

 

Hoon must be home. Mino checked the flickering projected clock on the wall to see that it was rotation 20, pretty late. He should have been out preparing the food, since their instant replicator was broken—had been for a few months now. The truth was, they didn’t have the money to replace it. It was tearing Hoon apart, Mino knew, and he tried to act as if he didn’t mind, just to make his brother feel better; he worked so hard just to keep them in a semi-decent apartment, even if the neighborhood wasn’t all that great.

 

“I’m here Hoony!” He called, putting his goggles on the table and undoing his heavy apron before opening the door from his lab into the dingy kitchen.

 

“Hey, what happened to the food?” Hoon looked tired as he hung up his jacket and stepped out of his boots.

 

“I’m sorry,” Mino rubbed the back of his neck with a nervous chuckle, “I forgot to make it?”

 

His brother didn’t complain, just sighed lightly.

 

“Working at your inventions again?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Mino, I really admire your dreams, and I’ll do whatever it takes to support them, you know that, right?” Hoon pushed past the younger and took out two packets of instant meal from the dispenser, and Mino noted how he had to kick it a few times before it coughed up its contents. He would really need to fix that. The comment took him by surprise.

“Y-yeah, Hoony. And I love you so much for it. You’re the best big brother ever.”

 

“I’m sorry Mino, but unless I can find better work, I’m afraid,” he paused and bit his lip, looking at Mino’s face, “I’m afraid you’re going to have to go out and work as well.”

 

The hopeful face fell, but the shorter nodded. They did need the money, and it wasn’t right that he holed himself up in his lab all day cracking away at some hopeless invention while his brother worked so hard.

 

“I understand. I’m sorry if I’ve been a burden.”

 

“No! No no not at all! Mino you could never be a burden to me!” The elder slid a plate over to him as the two ate in the darkness, only illuminated by a few flickering colored lights of some of the bars this side of town. Power was too expensive to be wasted.

 

“It failed again.” Mino broke the silence as he pushed his food around in his plate.

 

“Oh? Did you figure out why?” Hoon asked with his mouth full. Even though it was very dark, Mino could still see his brother fairly well, as Terrans eyes had evolved to see exceptionally well in the dark.

 

“Not yet. Hopefully though. Hoon, I want this to work more than anything! All my life, I’ve wanted to see the sun, and this will be a new way of getting more sustainable power. After all, we’re still powered on synthesized electricity, but that's a finite energy source. The sun? Infinite! But every time I feel like I’m really onto something, it just…fails.” He shook his head before resting it in his hands.

 

“Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll find a way. You’re so smart, Mino…” Hoon trailed off.

 

It was lies. He couldn’t bear to tell his brother, but it was all lies. The synthesized electricity had run out about twenty years ago. All hope had seemed lost until a ship had crashed to earth. A ship with technology like nothing they had ever seen, blindingly bright, and full of energy, just like the man piloting it. Not many people on Terra knew where their real power source came from: blood. Not even the Ruler. The people who did know belonged to the government faction in charge of energy conversion. They were the ones who had first discovered that Caelan blood could power a city. Hoon knew, of course. He was part of the crew of a notorious Sky Pirate gang. He would never let Mino find out, because he knew that if he did, the younger would never forgive him. Hoon didn’t love his line of work; he didn’t even like it. But it was the only thing around that got steady pay, even if meager. He wasn’t a genius like Mino, and most jobs were engineering related. He was, however, unusually strong, even for a Terran, who were notorious for their abnormal strength. Also, he was fearless and an unbeatable pilot, and going up into the upper atmosphere was not for cowards. For one, it was blindingly, painfully bright up there, and for two, the laser cannons on the defense turrets were extremely hard to avoid, and even if you did manage to do all that, sneaking into a city filled with people who look your polar opposite wasn’t exactly easy either. Hoon had never, to his credit, actually kidnapped someone, but he’d piloted many a mission back and forth, and heard their screams as the rest of the pirates tased them into submission. It woke him up at night in cold sweats. It was all for Mino, though, to keep him safe, fed and a roof over his head.

 

“Hoon? Hoony?” Mino was waving a hand in front of his face and he jolted a bit, realizing he had been staring at the wall. “Is something bothering you?”

 

“Mmm just tired.” Lie.

 

“You go on to bed, I’ll clean up. It’s the least I can do, I kinda slaked in dinner.” Mino gave a reassuring smile and Hoon was grateful enough to drag himself to bed.

 

Mino watched the way his brother’s shoulder’s slumped and bit his lip in concern. He didn’t know what Hoon did for work, but whatever it was, it was clearly taking a toll on him. As quickly as possible, he finished cleaning up, before slipping into bed himself. He lay awake thinking about his invention. If it worked, if he was able to harvest the sun’s energy and bring it back down to Terra, they would have more money than they could ever dream of, and Hoon wouldn’t have to kill himself with work ever again….

 

He was awoken in the middle of the night to Hoon tossing and turning, muttering unintelligible things. It was times like these that made Mino wonder. Wonder if his brother....he shook his head. Hoon would never do that. Ever. He brushed the hair off of his brother’s forehead and sighed.

 

“Just hang in there a little bit longer Hoony. It’s almost done I promise. Just a little bit longer.”

 

 

******************

 

 

Seungyoon hid behind a pillar as a guard walked past before slipping out the door and scrambling down towards the transit. He dodged through the crowds on the entertainment strip, white hood pulled up over his head, doing a somewhat decent job of him going unnoticed. He didn’t want to get dragged back to the palace and have to sit through a strict talking to by Jihan and his mother. All he wanted to do was bring Jinu some of his favorite food for lunch. He wanted to talk with Agnes, the little girl who gave him purple flowers she had engineered herself; ask the scientists in the lab about the latest developments, and ask Dr. Seo to show him pictures of his new daughter; hang out with Jinu and his friends and count the solar flares from the observation deck; anything but sit cooped up in the boring fancy palace and listen to that damn robot drone on for another minute! He clutched the food tighter to his chest as he stepped into the transit down the Cosmia. It was the middle of the day, so the ride was fairly quiet, a few men scattered here and there, who looked like they worked in Ciel, probably on their way back from having lunch in Hanuel.

 

“Yah Jinu?” He called grinning.

 

“Yoonie! What are you doing?? Your mother will be furious!” Jinu scolded as soon as he answered and saw Yoon jogging down the alleyways towards the command center.

 

“Oh so I come all the way down here to surprise you, with your favorite food and everything, and this is the thanks I get?” The prince snorted in mock hurt.

 

“Oh....damn you for being so cute. I’ll see you in a few.”

 

Jinu frowned the minute the call dropped. He was worried about his friend. Although Seungyoon tried to hide it as usual, Jinu still noticed. He was tired, really tired. There were circles under his eyes, he never wanted to stay out late anymore and went to bed unusually early. He resolved to talk to the prince. If he was pushing himself too hard, he needed to stop.

 

He was broken out of his thoughts by the boy in question busting into the room.

 

“Jinuuuuu!!! I brought you food!”

 

“I swear Yoon, if you weren’t next in line to be president, you should have joined the shield techs. You’d be incredible! You manage to evade every single one of a group of highly trained individuals whose only job is to watch you. You must be an expert.” Jinu snorted, taking the food from the prince’s hands and ushering him over to the chair by the table in his office.

 

“It’s a gift.” came the reply, mostly masked by a yawn.

 

“Seungyoon.” the soldier began, and the younger felt panic rise in him. That tone meant Jinu was serious, and he could only guess he had noticed the toll lack of sleep was taking on him. “Are you sleeping well at night?”

 

“Y…yes?”

 

It wasn’t a lie. When he did sleep, he slept like a rock. Key word being _when_.

 

“Don’t lie to me, Seungyoon, it hurts my feelings. I know you’ve been up late, recently. You’re paler than usual, you yawn all the time, and you always are taking naps. You never nap. What’s up with you?” he folded his hands and stared intently.

 

“U-uh I’ve just been studying really hard recently….I don’t really uh pay attention during my lessons so uh I kinda need to catch up on a lot of stuff…” Yoon was actively trying to avoid Jinu’s gaze, to the frustration of the other.

 

“Mmhmm. That I believe. Even if it isn’t the real reason, which I know it’s not.” he huffed, gazing at Yoon for a while longer before dropping the matter.

 

Yoon, meanwhile, let out a sigh of relief, happy to be free of his older friend’s protective prying, though it was in the best interests.

 

“I promise it won’t last much longer Jinuie. I’m going to really try from now on. Sorry for worrying you!” he grinned brightly.

 

Jinu blew air out through his nose but nodded and turned his attention to his food. The prince did feel slightly bad. He knew he had hurt Jinu by withholding the truth from him, since he felt it meant Yoon no longer trusted him. Tonight, Yoon vowed, would be the last night. By that time, he would have copied all of the information onto his tablet and would never have to go back. It was risky, returning every night. He didn’t like to think about what would happen if he got caught; being a national embarrassment, losing Jinu’s trust and respect as well as the people’s….

 

“Hello? Earth to Seungyoon!” he started as a hand was waved in front of his face and he realized he must have spaced out.

 

“Okay okay, sorry! What?” he grabbed Jinu’s hand and placed it back down on the table, glaring at him.

 

“I was just going to ask you if you wanted to play light towers and get some drinks when I get off my shift.” came the mildly annoyed huff.

 

“As long as you don’t get blackout drunk like last time! I nearly had to carry you home myself!” Seungyoon giggled, flicking his friend’s arm.

 

“Hey! I had a rough day! I was stressed about my promotion! Heh…” he sighed, shaking his head, “Whatever even happened that night?”

 

“Oh, nothing much.” the younger assured him quickly, “Just you crying over your ex-girlfriend for at least 20 minutes and making a complete fool of yourself on the dance floor.” he continued mischievously.

 

“Oh fuck…” Jinu groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Yoonie why didn’t you stop me? Do you not love me at all?”

 

“Oh I was immensely enjoying myself.” the other jumped up and wrapped his arms around Jinu’s neck from behind where he was sitting. “Now hurry up and eat so you can finish work quickly and we can go have fun!”

 

“Yeah yeah, get off me you delinquent. Go on, shoo. I can’t legally work with you in here.” he made motions with his hands indicating Seungyoon towards the door.

 

“Bye Jinu! See you in a few hours!”

 

The door closed behind him, and Jinu heaved a long sigh. He knew Seungyoon was lying to him, and it bothered him. He couldn’t imagine what on earth his friend had to hide that he couldn’t even tell him. Maybe if he got Yoon drunk enough, he could find out some things…like why the hell his friend was being so secretive….

 

“Jinu sir!” a voice broke him out of his thoughts. “Can you come take a look at this?”

 

He groaned internally. Sometimes Mingyu was so helpless. He was new, but the number of questions he asked absolutely floored the senior officer. Was it even possible to not know how to do such basic tasks? He put any worries about Seungyoon on the back burner as he went over to investigate whatever minor issue might be going on in the next station.

 

 

His Majesty Kang Seungyoon, as it turned out, was the most deceptively heavyweight drinker Jinu had ever met. Jinu himself was completely plastered, yet Yoon didn’t even seem slightly drunk. He was currently blinking sleepily at the younger, who smiled at him, then burst out laughing.

 

“Jinu, we should go home. You’ve had a lot.” He chirped, sliding off the bar stool.

 

The soldier protested vaguely, but let his friend guide him with some difficulty out the door and into the streets. The sun was casting long shadows on the ground, and it would soon be time for the reverse rotation. Yoon had read in the books that this used to be called night. Speaking of which, he needed to get Jinu back before he could get to the archives again. It was his last time and he didn’t want to get caught now.

 

“Hello your majesty, hello uh...Jinu sir.” The door guard greeted both of them, sharing a snicker with Yoon at Jinu’s failed attempt at a salute before the other dragged him upstairs and practically forced him into bed.

 

“Goodnight Jinuie! Sleep well! Enjoy your hangover.” The young prince patted him affectionately on the head before skipping off.

 

 

 

Yoon waited for the siren to go off before again tiptoeing his way down the hall and into the elevator, data-pad tucked under his arm. Methodically he pressed the pattern and drummed his fingers as it descended, eager to finish this last night. The doors opened with a ding to reveal his precious archives in all their shelved glory, full of knowledge of a past world. Quietly, he slipped into his usual spot and sat down happily after connecting his data-pad to the memory bank, with his chin in his hands, watching the upload bar fill towards the 100 mark. He was suddenly startled by the lights turning on, and a hand on his shoulder, keeping him in his chair as several soldiers surrounded him.

 

“The private archives are off limits, your majesty.” The voice of Jihan.

 

Yoon sat frozen in his seat, casting a sly glance at the upload progress. He had been so close. So close. Moving very slowly with his hand behind his back, he managed to slip the data-pad underneath his jacket without anyone noticing.

 

“I'm afraid you're under arrest, Seungyoon.” Jihan took him firmly by the arm, still obviously trying to be gentle for Seungyoon's sake.

 

Seungyoon didn’t resist as they escorted him out and back to his room, locking him in from the outside and posting a guard.

 

“What are you going to do to me? Why have you been keeping this from everyone?!” He yelled only to have the door slammed in his face.

 

He curled up in a ball on the bed and fought back the tears. He was angry and frustrated and upset and lonely all at once. Why didn’t anyone know about Terra? Why was it kept such a secret? What was going to happen to him??

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My inspo for Mino and Hoon was literally Fool era hair bc that was a LOOK.  
> This is kind of where the Blade Runner vibe comes in because I pictured Earth as looking a lot like it does in that universe...  
> Anyway, thanks for reading! <3
> 
>  
> 
> P.S: Sorry Hoon stans! I know he seems bad but he's still a precious bean in this just give it time


	3. Chapter 3

 

Mino was up earlier than Hoon, in his workshop, busily engaged in trying out his latest modification. It was working much better than he had expected it too. He watched the sparks fly through the protective lens of his glasses as the machinery crackled, and he idly wondered if that’s what the angels in heaven looked like. He had heard stories of angels who came from the sky, beings of pure light who visited choice souls. He wanted an angel, an angel who could help him reach the stars, who could help him achieve his dreams; his very own light angel. He heard voices upstairs and stopped to wipe the sweat off his brow and listen.

 

“It’s good pay this time, Hoon. Double our usual.”

He recognized the nasaly voice as belonging to Erret, a lanky, conniving looking man and Hoon’s co-worker. Mino had always been suspicious of him, the way he rubbed his bones calloused fingers together and cleared his throat far too often to be normal.

 

“When?” Hoon was asking.

 

“Three rotations. Landing Pad 5 in the mechanic section.”

 

“I’ll be there.”

 

Mino counted until he heard the door shut before poking his head upstairs. He had no wish to see or speak to Erret.

 

“Hey, Hoony.”

 

“Oh! Mino! Erret was just here. I have work! It’s good work this time, so maybe we can get new parts for the food replicator.” the eldest sounded so excited, Mino didn’t have the heart to make the snide remark about Erret he was going to, and smiled instead.

 

“Sure, I can do that.”

 

“Mmm just think, the taste of real food!” Hoon closed his eyes and inhaled blissfully, “it's been so long. All I can remember are these packets.” He glared at one on the table, and Mino snatched it away, munching on it.

 

“Hey, they’re not that bad.”

 

“I cannot believe you are eating that raw.” His brother wrinkled his nose in disgust.

 

“Fine. Starve, Mr. picky.”

 

 

**************

 

 

Had it been two days? Three days? A week? Yoon was starting to have trouble remembering. He couldn’t leave his room, and he wasn’t sure why. Something like he had gone somewhere, pressed some numbers...? Ugh. He rubbed his face and picked at his food. His mom had come to see him. She was disappointed. He couldn’t remember why, but it was something awful, he was sure. The food was good, though. Better than usual. He wanted to see Jinu. He heard people talking outside his door, before they entered: a doctor who’s name Seungyoon couldn’t remember and a guard.

 

“Hello Seungyoon, how are you feeling today?”

 

How was he feeling? Had he been sick?

 

“Uh...fine? Should I not be?”

 

“No no, that’s good. You fell a few days ago, hit your head pretty hard. You might experience some memory loss.”

 

Fell? From where? What had he been doing? Is that why his mother was disappointed?

 

“I fell?”

 

“Yes, don’t you remember?”

 

Yoon furrowed his brow. No, he didn’t remember. He did remember a room though, filled with rows and rows of...of...

 

“Don’t force yourself. I’ll come back and see you again. Get plenty of rest.”

 

With the same sickly smile, they both bowed and walked out again, but the Prince's curiosity was piqued. He heard them talking in low voices just outside his door, so he softly crept up and pressed his ear against the cool metal.

 

“It’s working.” the voice of the doctor came into focus. 

 

“How much will it erase?” that must be the guard.

 

“If we’re careful, just a few days. All we need to do is fabricate some story about how he knocked his head or something...”

 

Yoon drew back from the door with a silent gasp. They were drugging him?? What was he forgetting??? Was it important???! He needed to get out of here! Rushing to the window, he considered his options. He could jump out. There was a roof about ten feet below, and from that, he could get down to the ground. But where would he go? If he wasn’t safe even in his own house.... he could find Jinu. Jinu would help him. He didn’t understand why his mother suddenly hated him, they had always been so close…was what he did really that bad? Did he do anything at all? Did she even know the truth, or had they lied to her too? He suspected the latter, but his head started to hurt, so he decided to go to sleep and wait for the backward rotation.

 

He lay back on his bed and stared up at the ceiling, trying to scrape together the past events of the last few days. It just wasn’t fair. All his life, he had always dreamed of being the best President, he had tried so hard for it; meeting the people, learning the history, even if some of it wasn’t very nice, even sitting through boring politics lessons! And now, he wasn’t sure if any of it could happen anymore. He was locked in his room, lied to, drugged...who knew when or if his memories would come back. A few tears slipped down his face. Why did the universe hate him?

 

****************

 

 

Hoon finished strapping the gun to his side and stuck a knife in his boot before patting himself down one more time to make sure he hadn’t forgotten anything. He hated that he felt a thrill of excitement run down his spine. Sighing, he leaned over to ruffle Mino’s hair as his younger brother slept, a reminder that he was doing this for him. He straightened again and closed the door behind him, heading to the assigned meeting point.

 

“Hoon! Good, you’re here.”

 

“Yeah yeah, whatever, act like I’m the most invaluable member of the team until the paycheck comes around.” the man rolled his eyes and shoved past his team-mate and into the ship.

 

He glanced around the small hold quickly before making his way into the cockpit. He stopped when he came to the door, catching sight of a thin figure standing silently, staring out the dash window at nothing, completely immobile and nearly invisible when paired with the dark leather of his long coat.

 

Not wanted to catch the leader off guard, which would probably result in a blaster to the chest, he cleared his throat.

 

“I have a good feeling about this mission, Hoon.” the voice broke through the silence.

 

It was a low voice, yet he never had a problem being heard. Gravely like a crumbling building, yet smooth as the side of a newly painted ship, an enigma, just like the leader himself. He went by Zhin, but no one really knew his real name. Zhin was somewhat young, but his real age was hard to tell; cheeks slightly sunken in, lips pinched into a thin line and small alert eyes that let no detail escape.

 

“Um…yes sir?” there wasn’t really any reply Hoon could think of that suited the statement, but he knew that one was always required.

 

“I’ve finally found a weakness in that damn shield. It's underneath. That’s the key.” he turned around suddenly, holding up a small chip triumphantly before shoving it under the false skin of his left hand. “I input the flight plan into the computer. I’m sure you’ll do fine.”

 

_Do your job well or else I’ll blast your head off._

 

“Thank you, sir.”

 

Zhin passed by him and out into the back to bark orders at the other two who were sprawled around lazily, bickering between each other. As soon as the man was gone, the coldness Hoon felt dissipated. The cockpit was the place where he felt the most himself, his safe space, and yet he had never felt less at home that with Zhin standing close to him leering at him with those horrible little eyes of his.

 

Hoon shook himself and sat down, prepping the ship for flight and sat back, awaiting orders.

 

*************

 

Yoon didn’t eat anything that night, leaving the food they brought him untouched. If that was how they were getting to him, he would just have to go without for a little bit. His stomach growled, so he dumped it in the trash before he could give in and just eat it. Already, vague memories of an elevator and a number had returned to him and he felt less lethargic. Definitely better than this afternoon, he thought, as he inspected the window and considered his options. He could just jump. With his above-average athleticism atheleticism, it couldn’t hurt that bad. He scrapped that idea though, too much of a risk. If something did happen and he was incapacitated, it was over. A safer method would be to repel down….wires would do nicely. Tucking his data pad into his jacket pocket, he set to work dismantling one of the various electronic systems in his room, winding the wires together to form a sturdy rope of sorts. It wasn’t quite long enough, but a jump of three feet was much better than ten. Satisfied, he secured it, and checked the time. It would be best to do this when the rotation turned away from the sun.

 

When he heard the warning chime out through the empty halls, hopped out the window and made his way down, landing lightly on his feet on the roof below. Conjuring up a crackling ball of light, he sent a fiery shock up the rope, destroying his means of escape. Turning, he looked out over the city which stretched beneath him all the way to where tier Hanuel dropped off onto tier Cosmia. Sighing, he mentally mapped out the tier in his mind, orientating himself towards Jinu’s house. He only hoped the older would believe him.

 

 

 

Zhin’s plan worked suspiciously well. An approach from beneath revealed that there was a space between the generator and the projected beginning of the shield, a hole for outside maintenance ships to go through unimpaired. Luckily for them, their small ship was the exact size to exploit this, and they slipped behind the shield easily. Now in the shadow of the large city, Hoon flew up towards the top tier with ease, being much more comfortable in the darker atmosphere, despite the annoyingly bright presence of the moon and stars.

 

“There. That’s Hanuel. That’s where the more powerful people live, since it’s higher up.” Zhin instructed, clutching a small black device in his left hand.

 

No pirates, not even them, had never been this daring before, and Hoon idly wondered what the stakes were that drove Zhin to attempt something this insane. On the past few missions he had flown, they stuck strictly to the lowest tier of Ciel, grabbing whoever was the first unfortunate to walk into their trap. This time, it was as if Zhin was specifically looking for someone.

 

Landing in a small secluded area that was inexplicably included in the plan, Hoon kicked back his feet on the control board, and pulled out some snacks he had stashed in one of the compartments, hidden away from Jip and Sam’s prying eyes. It would be a while before the others had grabbed a victim and returned to the ship, so he had plenty of time to enjoy some peace and quiet….and silence his conscience.

 

************

 

Yoon jumped the last few feet to the ground and looked around. This was the right way. It was the back way, he couldn’t risk running around in the main sector for fear of being recognized and word getting back that he had escaped. Hopefully, they wouldn’t discover his absence until the next day, by which time he and jin would hopefully be safely….somewhere. In all honesty, Yoon didn’t have a plan. He was completely at a loss for what to do. Jinu would have to give up everything for him, and he certainly didn’t want that…he wavered. Should he go to Jinu at all?

 

There was a rustle near him, and he jumped, beginning to get a little spooked out. It was so quiet, not even the street lamps were on. Not even the street lamps were on? His heart rate picked up and he suddenly became hyper aware of every shadow. He should run. _Now._

 

Somehow, the prince got his legs to start moving, making for the closest source of light, but he hadn’t gotten two steps before something hit him hard in the chest and he fell backwards with a grunt. A dark figure in clothes the same color as the night sky itself loomed over him as Yoon frantically tried to scramble backwards away from it, only to smack against another dark figure. A scream built up in his throat, but was cut off into a small yelp as someone grabbed him and clamped a hand over his mouth. They were astonishingly strong and a bit bigger than him, even though Yoon himself was fairly stronger than average, and despite his struggling he couldn’t manage to get free.

 

“Just do it already, he’s really strong and extremely hard to hold!” it was a nasal voice, greasy, and Yoon wanted it nowhere near him.

 

He tried to bite down on the hand that was covering his mouth, but it was squeezing his jaw so hard he could barely move it.Suddenly, something was jammed against the side of his head and his vision went white as pain burned its way through his body. He writhed in agony as his veins felt like they had been filled with liquid heat. The shock was gone as quickly as it came, but it left his muscles weak and stiff and he hung limply in the arms of the man.

 

“Idiot.” a new voice hissed coldly, roughly shoving the stun baton back towards the other. “Now bring him and lets get back. We got what we came for.”

 

“Ugh, he hurts my eyes.” the general complaining began as between the two of them they dragged Yoon by his arms as quickly as possible back to the ship.

 

“He’s so light. Are they all like this?”

 

“Artificial gravity. Now shut up, you big morons, someone is going to hear us.” the cold voice spoke again.

 

Try as he might, the world refused to stay in focus, blurring in and out, and Yoon idly wondered if his eye sockets hadn’t been damaged beyond repair. His mind was panicking but his body refused to cooperate, which scared him even more. Where were they taking him? Who were they? Was he going to die?! The last thing he saw before his eyes flickered closed was a strange looking ship with a symbol on it that vaguely sparked a dim memory: Terran.

 


	4. Chapter 4

“Hoon. Hoon. Get ready to leave. And put your goggles on.” his communicator crackled to life and Hoon quickly stuffed the rest of his snacks back into their hiding place and started up the engine.

 

There was a rustling in the back and Jip and Sam dumped Yoon on the ground, and Zhin leaned down, looking directly into the boy’s frightened eyes, before sticking a device on his neck that wrapped around his throat, completely silencing him. The Caelan’s hands sluggishly came up to clumsily claw at it, only to be slapped away by Zhin, who then straightened, kicking him until he was on his stomach, gagging silently from pain.

 

“Give me that,” he instructed Jip who was lazily slumped in the corner, messing with his hair, pointing to a laser knife.

 

“Hmm?” the subordinate queried, pointing to the object.

 

“Yes, _that_! Give it!” Zhin’s temper grew short and Jip quickly handed it over.

 

He flicked it open and the laser beam instantly glowed an eerie green. Yoon squeezed his eyes shut, waiting to feel the laser slice through his skin. His body felt less weak than before, but also less numb, and he ached all over.

 

Zhin crouched over him, pressing his knee harshly into Yoon’s back, forcing him harder against the floor. However, the pain never came. Instead, his jacket was cut clean through on his left shoulder and he began to panic again once he realized what was going on. They would see it and they would know. He squirmed as much as he could, which wasn’t effective, but earned him a blow to the head that made him see lights dancing in his vision as his head collided with the metal of the floor of the ship. He closed his eyes. The movement of the ship was making him feel queasy and he could now barely see anything except what was directly in front of him. He needed to get out of here….

 

“Just as I thought.” the man breathed out, sitting back in satisfaction, running his hand lightly over the tattoo making Yoon flinch and shiver. “I knew all that work hadn’t gone to waste.”

 

“Like something you see, boss?”

 

“You see this, Sam? This is the mark of Caelan royalty. There are currently only two people who have this mark; the president of Caelum, and him.” he gestured to Yoon.

 

“So? What’s it do?”

 

“It means that he’s got twice the energy of a normal Caelan. Which means he will last much longer.”

 

“Sir, we’re approaching Terra.” Hoon put the ship on autopilot, poking his head through the doorway. The words died on his lips as his eyes rested on Yoon’s small form lying on the floor. “Holy shit…what _is_ he?”

 

A spark of pity that rose in him was quickly forced down, but there was no denying, Caelans were fascinatingly beautiful.

 

“What are all those dark marks on him?” he asked instead, seeing as his previous question hadn’t gotten a reply.

 

“Unfortunately…the touch of Terrans taints a Caelan. Bad energy conduction. So try not to get your hands all over him.” Zhin replied. “Did you contact command and tell them we’re coming? I don’t know about you but I’d like to get paid what I deserve for him.”

 

“Yeah. I didn’t tell them he was special or anything though.”

 

“We’ll just surprise them then.” came the chuckle.

 

 

****************

 

Seungyoon decided to stay still for the time being. He couldn’t see anything, and he was becoming light-headed. If he stopped squirming he could conserve his energy to escape the second they landed, so he ceased his movement until it was just involuntary shivers and lay panting on the floor of the ship, shutting his eyes and feeling the cold metal bite his cheek.

 

“There that wasn’t so hard, was it?” the cold voice somewhere above him spoke as soon as he was still. The knee was removed from his back and he could breathe a little better now.

 

He was still hyper-aware of two people on either side of him, ready to inflict more pain if he decided to attempt to escape, and he sniffed as a tear slid down his face. He bitterly thought of all those times he wished for something else other than to be sitting in his warm room listening to the robot’s comforting voice droning on. What he wouldn’t give to be back there instead of here...it was so cold and the fact that half of his shoulder was now exposed didn’t help.

 

“Don’t cry, your majesty. It will be better soon. Of course, you’ll be dead, but—“ the men around him laughed and Seungyoon squeezed his eyes shut tighter. He didn’t want to appear weak, but he also didn’t want to die. He only hoped they would notice he was gone….but wasn’t that the point anyway? Slowly, his heart sank as he realized that it was extremely probable no one would come for him. The tears were replaced with an empty feeling of…was it resignation? Or despair.

 

 

“How is he?” the man on the left asked. His voice was a bit nasally and higher pitched, and Seungyoon decided to call him Sharp.

 

“I think he fell asleep. Finally. It will make it much easier on us.” Man on the right replied.

 

This guy sounded bigger and his voice was deeper, with a thick accent and wheezed a bit. Yoon was pretty sure this was the guy who had first grabbed him. Snuffles seemed to fit him well, even though he vaguely recollected him being called Jip, so the prince went with that. It was funnier than Jip, and giving ridiculous names to the men who kidnapped him was the only bit of fun he could make, so he tried to take full advantage of it. Snuffles shook him roughly a few times, and he couldn’t help the small pained whimper, though he kept his eyes shut and hoped they’d just pass it off as sleepy mutterings. Then he remembered that whatever they had put on his neck prevented them from hearing any sounds he made.

 

“See? Out like a light. Put up quite a fight.”

 

“He’s going to get us so much money.” Sharp gleefully ran his fingers over the royal tattoo again, causing black marks to appear in the wake of his touch before his hand was snatched away.

 

“Watch it! What did I say about touching him!” That was the leader’s voice. It was quieter than the others and less gruff but cool and piercing. It scared Yoon the most.

 

The ship jolted a bit as they landed and came to a stop. Now was almost the time. The minute they went to pick him up, he would blind them with a ball of energy, and then make a run for it. He had picked up from the conversations that they clearly didn’t do well with light. Yoon hated to admit it, but a part of him deep down was a bit excited. From what he could understand, this was Terra itself that they were going to. It was, in a way, what he had always dreamed of, though never like this.

 

The Caelan prince tried to remain as limp as possible as his restraints were momentarily undone and he was manhandled by one of them onto his back. He mentally took a deep breath.

 

“Alright, Jip, Sam, get him and let’s go. Get this over with.” The leader instructed.

 

Now.

 

Seungyoon leapt up and opened his eyes, the full force of their brightness momentarily confusing the three pirates. Stumbling into the blackness outside, he summoned a brilliant ball of energy and flung it as hard as he could at the ship, before running as hard and fast as he could through the darkness in a random direction. The screams of the three as they covered their eyes in pain died away as he ran, but told him all he needed to know: that his distraction was effective.

 

Unfortunately, he felt his energy draining quickly, and he couldn’t see a thing in the thick blackness, his feet becoming soaked in the cold puddles as he ran, stumbling through the streets. It never rained on Caelum, although he knew from his sneaking around in the archives that it did on Terra; water fell from the sky. Yoon wished he had time to appreciate everything, but there was only one thing on his mind, and that was: escape. He yelped as he smacked into a wall and fell backward. He painfully picked himself up and continued, beginning to stagger as the lightheadedness set in. Must keep going. He had to. He couldn’t be caught again. The prince forced himself to keep going, knowing that the men would be close on his tracks and if they found him, they would make sure he never escaped again. He could practically feel the leader’s breath in his ear, his fingers running over the tattoo on his shoulder, a dead giveaway as to who he was. He took one more step before it suddenly became impossible for his feet to move any further and his knees gave out. He gasped a few times in a silent cry for help, the device around his throat couldn’t be removed without pain, as he had found within the first few seconds of his escape. The Caelan prince collapsed into the mud, world slowly fading into a soft black as he lost consciousness.

 

 

*****************

 

 

Mino poked the trash pile a bit with the iron pole before sighing. The specific conductor he was looking for was nowhere to be found. To be fair, he hadn’t exactly expected to find anything. The piece was very rare and was usually snatched up by junkers almost immediately. Oh well… he had hoped. Disappointed, he turned away when a bright light to his left caught his attention. It hurt his eyes a bit, which was unusual; normal Terran lights had special filters on them for that express purpose: to prevent any injury, since Terran eyes were specially adapted to the darkness, and any sources of light caused pain without proper protection. Curiosity piqued, he approached it, shielding his eyes a little bit until he remembered he had goggles and pulled them over his face. As he got closer he blinked and pinched himself a few times, thinking he was imagining things. The light was not a light at all but a figure lying in the alley. Curiosity turned into concern as the figure remained motionless, and Mino rushed forward to pull the boy’s face from the mud, wiping the filthy hair off of his face. He frowned a bit, black marks covered his face and hands as well as the part of his back where his clothes had been ripped… or cut, Mino wasn’t sure which. He listened to the other's chest for a few minutes to ascertain that the other was, indeed, still breathing, which he was. He certainly couldn’t leave him here, in this state, nearly dead and quite possibly wounded. He gently lifted him up, resting his head on his shoulder and placing his other hand under the stranger's knees, noting the strange device around his neck. He would have to figure out how to take that off. It wasn’t far back to the apartment, but Mino prayed he wouldn’t be seen. The glowing told him all he needed to know about the strange boy in the alley: the young man was a Caelan.

 

Luckily, no one was out and about so Mino was able to get the unconscious man into his bed. First, there was the matter of getting the collar off him. Upon closer inspection, Mino found that it was a simple matter of a few lines of code and it receded immediately into a small black pack. Instantly, the young stranger’s rattling breath was heard, and he breathed a sigh of relief. But now, a new problem presented itself: the boy’s white outfit was filthy, along with his mud-caked hair and there were black marks all over his skin. He sighed. Perhaps he could try to wake him up? He sat on the bed next to the glowing stranger, observing him. Suddenly the boy coughed violently, spitting out mud. He slumped back against the pillows and opened his eyes.

 

“AUGH!” Mino covered his own eyes immediately, faced with a pair of wide glowing ones.

 

“YIIIEEEK!” The strange boy screamed as well, rolling off the bed before hitting the floor with a groan before clutching his sides in pain.

 

“N-no it’s alright...I won’t hurt you!” Mino tried to desperately reassure the terrified Caelan while still covering his eyes.

 

“Yah! Stay away from me!” Came the small whimper as he pressed himself against the wall, as far away from the voice as possible.

 

“Please…don't move too much, you’re very weak.” Mino held up his hands with his eyes still closed, hoping his body language would speak for him. “Let me help you please?”

 

The boy considered for a few minutes.

 

“H-how can I trust you? The last Terrans tortured me, chained me up and were going to kill me—“ he broke off in a fit of coughing which caused him to double over, clutching at his chest.

 

“I’m not—I wouldn’t! Please, you’re hurt.” Mine was practically begging at this point, the boy was clearly on the verge of passing out again, and could possibly die.

 

There was a long silence, broken only by the other’s erratic breathing that slowed bit by bit. Mino didn’t know how long the two sat there looking at each other in the dark, him praying that the other would let him help. After what felt like an eternity, he finally spoke in a small voice.

 

“Okay. But,” he continued quickly with as much force as he could muster in his current state, as soon as Mino made a move in his direction, “if you try anything, I’ll fry you to a crisp—“ the whole thing seemed less threatening than he wanted, but Mino honored his wishes.

 

“Let me help you up.” he offered his hand palm down, which the stranger took with some hesitation.

 

“I never asked your name.” he continued, talking soothingly as they made their way to the tub. The boy was amazingly light, but most of his weight was leaning on Mino, though he was still tense and wary. “I’m Mino.”

 

He half didn’t even expect a reply, so when the word “Seungyoon.” was uttered quietly, he was somewhat surprised.

 

Seungyoon wrinkled his nose when they entered into the bathroom and Mino winced. Their complex was certainly not the nicest ever, and they had a water leak. It was old, and modeled vaguely off old Terra houses: back when Terra was called Earth. It had been all the craze sixty years ago, even though it had since died out due to the inefficiency and difficulty.

 

“Sorry. Are you cold? I can make the water hot, but only for a little while. Our generator isn’t very stable.”

 

“I’m cold. It's so cold and dark here.”

 

Mino had to lean close to know Seungyoon was saying anything at all, his voice was so thin and weak. He surveyed the Caelan for a few minutes considering before he thought it would be best to just kill two birds with one stone and clean the boy and his clothes at the same time. (washing me and my clothes, bitch) He had set him down in a sitting position on the floor while he ran the hot water. Hoon would be annoyed when he came home from work. He liked hot showers.

 

Since Seungyoon was so light, it was easy for Mino to just lift him into the water, when it was ready, and a sigh escaped the other’s lips and he closed his eyes, a fact for which Mino was slightly grateful since he could now see a bit easier.

 

“Seungyoon…um…what are all these marks on your face and arms…?” he asked as he rinsed the mud out of his new friend’s hair, amazed at the pure white color it was revealed to be.

 

“Terrans leave marks on Caelans.” came the short, bitterly mumbled answer.

 

The young mechanic stopped and looked down at his own hands in puzzlement.

 

“But… I haven’t left any on you…?”

 

Yoon didn’t respond, and allowed Mino to finish washing his hair in silence.

 

“Um…stay here and I’ll get you some dry clothes. We’re about the same size I think…” it was a bit awkward, but Yoon merely nodded and gave a tired moan of assent that he had heard. He was slowly relaxing, but still tense and flinched at the slightest noise or creak.

 

It was understandable. He could barely see anything, and for all intents and purposes, was practically blind. Mino dug through his clothes looking for something that would not only fit Seungyoon but also be comfortable enough on him not to aggravate any of his wounds. He had no open cuts, but plenty of bruises, which were evidenced by the slightly lighter patches littering his skin interspersed with dark blotchy black ones. He re-entered, but Yoon made no move to acknowledge his presence. His breathing was slow and shallow, slightly blowing drying strands of iridescent hair that lay across his face. He must have fallen asleep…Mino rested a hand on his shoulder, when he looked down at the torn clothing. Suddenly, something caught his eye and he leaned in to look closer. It was a tattoo of light in the design of a circle with an inverted triangle beneath it, and three lines coming from the triangle. It was like nothing he had ever seen before, and he wondered who on earth this Seungyoon was. Mino had a feeling he was someone special.

 

Yoon woke with a start, and panicked for a few seconds in the water before remembering that the man above him…Mino?…was kind.

 

“I’m sorry for startling you. Can you stand by yourself? I brought you some clothes…”

 

“Mmm.”

 

 

Mino’s clothes looked funny on Seungyoon, as he surveyed the other from behind his protective goggles. The main problem was, Seungyoon looked too good for them. He was literally glowing, very handsome, and carried himself like a prince from some fantasy world, even in his weakened and fumbling state. Mino had never thought of himself as any of these things, so his dingy strappy clothes looked too….too….something. He clutched something to his chest as he stuck the other arm out in front of him, using his own body as a feeble source of illumination.

 

“Here.” Mino appeared suddenly at his side and slipped an arm under Seungyoon’s, guiding him over to his bed after a glance at Hoon’s bigger one, figuring Hoon wouldn’t really appreciate finding someone in his bed.

 

Seungyoon practically fell asleep while getting into the bed, and Mino pulled the covers up over him. His fingers itched to tug down the shirt and catch a glimpse of the tattoo on the sleeping Caelan’s shoulder again, but he refrained out of decency. After all, Seungyoon was a human being, not some curiosity. Instead, he checked one last time to make sure Seungyoon was comfortable, then gently pried whatever it was in his hands out and laid it next to him on the table. Mino dug through the cabinet where Hoon kept medicine and found a spray for bruises. He frowned as he thought about what Yoon had said about the black marks. Terrans left them…but…Mino was Terran and he hadn’t left any. Just to make sure, he pressed two fingers gently to Yoon’s wrist and removed them. Nothing. Frowning, he shook his head. The black marks must be some sort of defense mechanism, since the ones who left them had been attacking him. With these thoughts swirling in his mind, he rested his chin on his hands and slowly drifted off to sleep.


	5. Chapter Five

Hoon kicked some fallen debris off of him and pulled himself to his feet. Shoving pieces of the collapsed ship out of the way, he finally made it to where the other three were lying, groaning and holding their eyes amidst the wreckage.

 

“Wow that kid really did a number on us.” He remarked with a chuckle only to get a random piece of broken metal flung at him.

 

“You think this is funny??” Zhin seethed, clutching an injured arm to his chest. “No payment until he’s FOUND. You all understand?? I want him found! He’s MY prize.”

 

“Wait hang on, I should at least get paid for flying the mission!” Hoon protested, suddenly loosing the humor now that the question of money was on the line, “it’s not my fault those two let him get away!”

 

“Shut up and fuck OFF Hoon. No kid, no money, got it? Because we won’t GET any money until he’s strapped to a converter.” that was the final warning, and Hoon knew he’s better leave now before things escalated.

 

Zhin was a good leader but he had a terrible temper when he didn’t get his way, and his way had just been fantastically thwarted. Hoon couldn’t help but smile a bit, he had always secretly wanted to see the man get his ass kicked and here he was, getting his ship smashed to pieces by some kid. He grew sober again when he remembered the money situation. They were low on food rations....if he didn’t get paid soon, Mino may need to work and Hoon didn’t want to do that to him. He knew how much his brother loved inventing and how he had his heart set on it. He rubbed his temples tiredly as he trudged his way home.

 

***********

 

The front door beeped and slid open with a hiss, shaking Mino out of his trance. He panicked, remembering Yoon lying in the bed glowing like a neon stick. Shit. How was he supposed to explain him to Hoon? “Hi Hoony, I found this random kid outside and I brought him back here”? He groaned in frustration before looking over at the bed as an idea hit his mind.

 

“Mino?” Hoon sounded tired as he shuffled his boots and jacket off.

 

“Shit.” Mino muttered.

 

Quickly, he pushed a still sleeping Yoon over to the side gently before slipping in beside him and pulling the covers all the way over both of them.

 

“Here Hoony.” He did his best to sound sick.

 

“Oh Mino! What’s wrong?” Hoon’s worried voice was followed by him appearing in the doorway and hovering over his brother. “Do you feel hot? Does anything hurt? When did this happen? Do you need medicine?”

 

“Mmmm Hoony, I just want to sleep. I’ll be alright.” Mino faked sleepiness, rolling over and pulling the covers around his chin, praying he wasn’t suffocating Seungyoon.

 

“Are you sure? At least let me make you some tea.”

 

Mino considered. Tea might be a good idea. He could give it to Seungyoon, who was probably in desperate need of something to drink.

 

“Ok.”

 

“Alright I’ll be back. Hang in there Minnie.” He ruffled his brother’s hair affectionately before leaving. Mino waited until he heard Hoon rustling around in the kitchen.

 

Already he was beginning to hate himself for lying to his brother, but the truth was, he just didn’t know how Hoon would take it. Next to him, he felt Seungyoon shift and mumble something, so he quickly tugged his goggles on that he had hidden under the pillow andpulled the blankets off from the other’s head so he could breathe. Once again he found himself amazed at the sight of him. The boy was around his age, if Caelans even aged the same way Terrans did, but what fascinated him the most was the glowing. It was like nothing he had ever seen. If he knew what the sun looked like, he was sure this was it. He wished Yoon would wake up so he could talk to him. He wanted to know so much, like; how had he gotten here? what was the mark on his shoulder? how did he glow? and what was it like on Caelum? Footsteps indicating Hoon was coming back startled him out of his thoughts and he quickly tore off his goggles, stuffing them under the pillow and yanking the covers up over the two of them again. He was sweating profusely since Yoon was extremely warm, nearly enough to warm the entire room were he in a better state.

 

“I brought you some tea.” his brother set the cup down next to the bed and Mino prayed he wouldn’t notice the little black device that Yoon had been holding. “Oh Mino… you’re burning up!” worriedly, his fingers trailed along the other’s sweaty forehead.

 

“I’ll be fine, Hoony. Really. I just need sleep.” Mino paused, thinking.

 

Seungyoon couldn’t spend all night under the covers, he would suffocate to death. But if he were to take them off, Soon would most certainly be woken up by the unusual bright light. Shit.

 

“Maybe you should sleep out on the couch tonight. I don’t want you to get sick, you have work.” he coughed unconvincingly and Hoon looked at him skeptically.

 

“Mino, you’re not thinking about trying to sneak another idiot cat in here again are you?”

 

“No no no no! I promise I’m not Hoony. I just don’t want you to get sick! That’s all.” Mino waved his hands frantically at the elder’s suspicions, somewhat relieved that he thought it was a stray cat that he was trying to cover up and not a grown man from another world.

 

“Hmmph. Why can’t _you_ take the couch.” Hoon grumbled, running a hand through his hair, but Mino could hear the amusement. “Next time I’m sick, I’m making you take the couch. Or sleep down with your oily old machines.”

 

“Yeah yeah, now get out and stop harassing a sick person.”

 

Hoon huffed again and turned before leaving to ask Mino if he needed anything before he left, to which the younger hastily shook his head, eager for Hoon to hurry up and leave, so he could pull the covers off Seungyoon. The door closed and the footsteps receded into the living room, and finally, he could safely uncover the sleeping stranger beside him. He now debated again. Yoon was probably thirsty, he could either wake him up now and give him something to drink, or wait until he was dehydrated in the morning…

 

“No...no stop...let me go...” Yoon’s fitful movements to his side distracted him as the other began to mumble in his sleep, tossing and turning, whimpering softly and shaking his head.

 

Slowly so as not to scare him any more than he already must be, Mino gently but firmly rested a hand on his shoulder, rubbing circles with his thumb.

 

“Seungyoon. Wake up. You’re alright.” He whispered, not wanting Hoon to hear, even though the other was probably snoring by now. He always fell asleep quickly.

 

“Mmm...Jinu? Jinu please help me...” Yoon pleaded, his eyes still squeezed tightly shut. He clutched onto Mino’s shirt, knuckles white with the force of his grip.

 

“Shhh. Wake up.” Mino ran a hand over his face, causing Yoon to jolt awake with a gasp.

 

His wide-eyed expression relaxed as he saw Mino. He looked down and squinted awkwardly at his hands still twisting the other’s shirt.

 

“S-sorry.” He muttered, letting go and flexing his cramped fingers.

 

“It’s okay, are you alright?”

 

A nod of affirmation.

 

“Alright Yoon....can I call you that?”

 

Another nod. A silence followed only punctuated by Yoon’s still shaky breathing as the two sat in the dark.

 

“Who’s Jinu?” Mino blurted suddenly, making Yoon startle and smack him on accident.

 

“Ow. Shit, you’re strong!” he rubbed his stinging cheek and the other desperately apologized repeatedly and Mino tried to assure him it was fine.

 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, it scared me…ahhh this is all so new….when I read about Terra this is not what I imagined…” the boy trailed off as Mino tilted his head curiously.

 

Caelans knew about Terra?

 

“How do you know about Terra? You Caelans are only a legend here.”

 

“I…we…what?” Yoon blinked at him.

 

“I mean…I heard stories about a city above the clouds, with amazing technology, and people glow, but I thought they were just rumors.” Mino elaborated a bit.

 

“Mmmhmm well…I’m here so…” his statement was broken off by a yawn and the Caelan settled back down into the pillows again, closing his eyes.

 

“Yeah. I guess you are.”

 

Seeing as there was no other response, Mino assumed Yoon had fallen asleep and sighed, scooting down the bed himself and throwing the covers over to Yoon’s side. He didn’t need them seeing as Yoon was a living heater. They could talk tomorrow.

 

 ***********

 

 

Jinu made his way up to the royal palace, swiping his card through to gain access.

 

“Ah, Lt. Jinu? What are you doing here?” a guard stopped him at the entrance to the stairs.

“Oh, I came to see Yoonie. I heard he was sick.”

 

“Of course, have a nice day sir.”

 

Jinu frowned as he passed by. Guards here? That was unusual. He suddenly grew concerned, perhaps Yoon’s illness was caused by an attack on his life?! Why hadn’t he told him!? In all honesty, he hadn’t heard from Seungyoon in several days. Just how sick was he anyway? He quickened his steps and snapped his fingers in front of the dozing guard in front of the prince’s door.

 

“Hey! Why are you here? What’s wrong with Seungyoon?”

 

“Lt. Jinu! Sir!” the guard snapped to attention, before sheepishly adding, “Uh I’m not authorized to say, sir.”

 

Jinu rolled his eyes.

 

“Just let me in.”

 

“Yes sir. Right away.” the guard punched in a number on the keypad.

 

“You _locked_ him _in?!_ ” Jinu was appalled.

 

“Well sir, he is under arrest…I thought you knew?” the clearly bewildered guard winced as he was on the receiving end of Jinu’s concerned fury.

 

“He’s WHAT!?” the man practically shrieked, “Under arrest for what?! Seungyoon has never done anything wrong in his life!! Get out of my way!”

 

“Sir! You can’t tell him, he doesn’t—“

 

Both men stopped short at the sight in front of them. The control panel had been pulled out of the wall and the wires lay everywhere, several missing. The window was open still, slightly charred.

 

“You. complete. moron!!!” Jinu hissed at the now trembling man beside him. “You’re discharged. Fired. Whatever. OUT! And call command while you’re at it. I want to know everything you haven’t been telling me!!!”

 

The second the man had scrambled out of his sight, Jinu sat on the edge of the bed and ran his hand over the untouched sheets.

 

“Yoonie…what happened…” he whispered silently as the sound of boots running down the hall came closer.

 

The Commander of the Shield Tech Division entered, looking surprisingly sheepish in the face of Jinu’s wrath. Normally, Jinu was calm, responsible, rational and well-mannered. This Jinu was someone he barely recognized, glaring daggers at him with his arms crossed.

 

“Lt. Jinu—“ he began before he was cut off by the younger soldier’s fist gripping his dress uniform and shoving him roughly up against the wall with a strength unexpected from someone of his slight build.

 

“Where is he. What have you done with Yoonie!??!” he spat.

 

“I don’t know! No one knows! I-I swear! The plan was just to wipe the information from the archives, and he’d be fine!” Jinu barely gave any thought to the fact that this was his commanding officer and his entire career was on the line.

 

“You were going to do _what_ to him?!” his grip tightened around the older man’s throat and he wheezed.

 

“Lt., please relax.” the second commander approached, keeping her voice even, “Prince Seungyoon somehow got into the archives. You know the rules, if that information got out to the public…our Prince talks to a lot of people, and with the best intentions, however…” she trailed off as Jinu calmed enough to release the Commander, yet fire visibly still burnt in his eyes. “However. If people were to find out about Terra…you of all people would understand. Please. No one knew the Prince would run away.”

 

“That’s because you don’t know Seungyoon.” Jinu snapped, crossing his arms again and turning away. “He’s smart and you’ll never control him. He would never stand for being locked away in his room.”

 

No one answered him.

 

“Why wasn’t I told about this? I’m authorized to go into the archives, I could have talked to him…” he demanded sharply.

 

“We thought it better, considering your close relationship with Prince Seungyoon, if you were—“

 

“If I was what, not told that my friend was locked in his room and being memory wiped for seeing something that everyone should have access to anyway?” he continued mercilessly, “What were you afraid I’d do, be your conscience that you clearly lack? Or would I get “too emotional”?”

 

Again there was a silence that quite frankly was irritating Jinu.

 

“Does the President know what you’ve been doing to her son?”

 

“To a certain extent—“

 

“As far as the President knows, Seungyoon is ill, and gave the doctor leave to— ” the second commander broke in quickly.

 

“So you lied to her. Isn’t that treason?! And now he’s gone! He could be anywhere on Caelum—“ he broke off, thinking of the places Yoon could possibly go.

 

Jinu’s house. That was the first place. But if this happened last night, he would have been at his door in the middle of the night. Yoon must have gone somewhere else.

 

“I assume we’re launching a full scale investigation?” he raised an eyebrow at the two senior officers, who had regained some of their composure.

 

“Oh, I’m sorry, would you like to be giving the orders here, _Lieutenant_ Jinu?” the Commander in Chief barked at him, narrowing his eyes at the younger, but taller man.

 

“Why yes, I would. And I’ll especially look forward to your demotion when I’m promoted to Commander in Chief for finding Prince Seungyoon.” Jinu sneered before turning on his heel and examining the window. “Have a nice day, Commander.”

 

Jinu had made it abundantly clear that he wanted nothing to do with anyone after he announced to President Eunji that her son had gone missing last night and denounced the complete carelessness of the Commander to her.

 

“Jinu, I know you were close with my son, so I’m reluctant to let you be involved in an official investigation. However, I think you should conduct an investigation of your own.”

 

They were seated in her private office, holograms of her and Seungyoon at various stages of his life, smiling and happy, and even some of him and Jinu. Normally it would make him smile at the fond memory, but right now, they seemed to taunt him, and it merely made him was to gag as he forced himself to look away.

 

“And why should I waste my time looking for Seungyoon when you have plenty of more qualified people than me? I’d only get in their way.”

 

“Please don’t misunderstand me, Jinu.” she leaned in closer and took his hand in hers, looking earnestly at him. “I _want_ you to do this. Preferably alone. It’s clear form what you’ve told me that I cannot trust anyone I thought. And besides, I think you’ll get much farther, since you have more drive than anyone I could ever pay, even if I offered them all the money in the world.” tears began to prick her eyes and Jinu knew she was serious. Never in all his time knowing Seungyoon and his mother had he ever knew of her to cry. “It would be well worth it if it could bring him back, Seungyoon is my world. Jinu, I’ve made a terrible mistake.”

 

The young soldier was silent, considering. In all honesty, after everything that had happened, he really only trusted himself to find Seungyoon without horrible consequences, and he knew that Seungyoon, when found, would only trust him.

 

“Alright.” he said abruptly, standing up. “I’ll do it.”

 

“But,” he started again, his courage wavering a bit as he tried to phrase his thoughts in the most respectful way. “I want you to promise me, Madam President, that Yoon will never have to go through anything like this again. Make the archives public.”

 

“I can make you Commander in Chief, Jinu, but I’m afraid the rest is out of my power. The control of the archives belongs to Jihan and the Security Division. I am sorry.”

 

She paused for a few moments, and Jinu stood up to leave, when she suddenly beckoned him closer. Dropping her voice to a whisper she told him:

 

“When you find Seungyoon, contact me on this.”

 

Slipping a discreet communication device into his hand, Eunji pulled back with the same grave face she normally had when conducting business, as if nothing had just happened.

 

“Goodbye, Lt.”

 

And with that, the door closed in his face. Jinu groaned in frustration before collecting his things from the guard outside the door and heading back to Yoon’s room. He was no closer to getting answers, and President Eunji’s attitude had made him even more confused.

After Jinu left, Eunji sighed, putting her head in her hands and tapping an inactive hologram. It was a projection of her, Yoon and his father. Seungyoon wouldn’t remember him, he had died when he was only a year old.

 

*************

 

_“Are you sure about this, Yang?” she followed after him as he made his way towards the hangar bay, barely keeping up with his much longer strides._

 

_“I’ll be fine Eunji, don’t worry. You know what they say, If you want something done right, you need to do it yourself. I don’t trust those young kids out there with my invention.” he chuckled as they stopped in front of his ship._

 

_“Alright, well, if you’re not back in five hours, I’m sending Jihan out after you.” she poked his chest emphatically. “I’m very busy running this city and if I have to come out there and save your sorry ass because of engine failure—“ the president broke off with a wink, grinning._

 

_“I get it, I get it.” Yang held his hands up defensively. “I’ll try not to need saving.”_

 

_“Jihan, you opened the lower shield for us, right?” he called over Eunji’s shoulder to his friend, who was standing a little ways away, watching the couple talk._

 

_“Of course….Yang.” the soldier gave a smile, shifting on his feet._

 

_“Good. I’ll be back soon, don’t worry. Say goodbye to our little Yoonie for me.”_

 

_And with that, he climbed into his ship, and the door closed behind him._

 

**************

 

Neither Eunji or Seungyoon ever saw him again. His ship’s heat shields malfunctioned, and it fell out of the sky in a ball of fire. Her and Jihan had searched, but eventually, Eunji realized it was hopeless. Seungyoon needed her, her people needed her, and as reluctant as she was to call off the search for her husband, there was no use in continuing. Jihan took it very hard. He had been good friends with Yang, even before Eunji had met him. Ever since then, there had been slight tension between the two of them, although Jihan still cared deeply for Seungyoon.

And now, he was gone. And it was her fault.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, we all know Jinu is really lazy, but he's also super protective, and also super sassy, so I figured this was still in character for him. :) I'm not trying to make everyone 100% in character anyway, but I didn't want to go completely off. Hope you enjoy!


	6. Chapter Six

Yoon woke up to utter blackness in a strange bed. He nearly screamed, but a hand over his mouth muffled any sound. He thrashed violently against the hold before a calming voice reminded him of last night and he slumped against the pillows. Fatigue settled back in and became acutely aware of how sore he was.

 

“Hey hey Yoon relax it’s just me. I know you can’t see anything much in this darkness, but please just try to bear it a bit longer.” a calm voice reassured him.

 

That was right. Mino. The Terran. He was on Terra.

 

“I can see a little. I kind of make my own light, in case you somehow didn’t notice.”

 

Mino smiled at the slightly sarcastic edge to the words.

 

“Can you see me then?”

 

“Yes…a little…” Yoon squinted and stuck his arm up closer to Mino’s face, “I’d see you better if I could put my hands near you.”

 

“Uh…s-sure?” Yoon smiled then and he closed his eyes to protect them from the brightness as the Caelan moved his hand slowly in front of Mino’s face. It felt like the other was staring into Mino’s very soul, bringing everything buried to light and he shifted a bit in discomfort at the scrutiny.

 

“Wow. You’re just like in the pictures. I’ve never seen black hair before.” Yoon breathed in amazement as Mino tried to comprehend how someone like Yoon could be in awe of someone like him.

 

“Pictures?”

 

“Mmm. We have archives with data on Terra and Earth and, I was reading up on it when I got arrested for sneaking in—“ his broke off as his eyes widened suddenly and Mino squinted harder at the light. “I remember! They were trying to drug me into forgetting!” he mumbled more to himself than anyone else.

 

He broke suddenly into a fit of coughing that hurt his chest painfully.

 

“It’s probably mud you’re coughing up. When I found you, you were face down in it. You’re lucky, any longer and you would have been dead.” Mino explained, reaching for the now cold tea that was still on the table from the night before and Yoon drank greedily before making a face.

 

“Are you hungry?” he continued.

 

Yoon coughed a bit before nodding, trying to ignore the pounding headache that was beginning. He looked at Mino expectantly.

 

“Uh, can you stand, or—”

 

“You’re not going to bring it to me?” Yoon blinked in confusion.

 

“I—I can if you want me to…” Mino stammered, rather embarrassed but slightly annoyed the other was ordering him around. However, Seungyoon was still a novelty to him, and he happily began to imagine all the conversations they could have together when he heard Yoon clear his throat impatiently.

 

“Alright, I’ll be right back.” the Terran jumped off the bed and pattered into the kitchen, Hoon long since having gone off to work.

 

Yoon grumbled a bit and curled up on the bed, tucking his feet up under the blankets, leaning back and closing his eyes since there was no real point in keeping them open. He must have slept for a while, yet he still felt so drained. It scared him, barely being able to stand properly without toppling over. He knew what was happening: his body was slowly losing energy, and as there was no sun to replenish it, he would continue to be drained of energy until he died from exhaustion.

 

Mino returned shortly later, carrying a bowl of something that Yoon couldn’t identify.

 

“I got you some food. Sorry it’s not much but…we’re a bit low on money right now.” he scratched his neck an apologetically handed the bowl to Yoon who sniffed it and stuck a finger into the concoction that had been handed to him, tasting it experimentally. It wasn’t as bad as he thought, and he ended up eating the whole thing, realizing he was starving after the first bite, since he hadn’t eaten for a few days by now. The prince felt a bit better after that.

 

“Thank you, by the way. For uh…saving my life.” Seungyoon said quietly after a little bit.

 

“You’re welcome.” Mino paused, toying with whether he should ask the new boy exactly what happened that he had ended up here. “So how did you get here, Seungyoon?”

 

It was clearly the wrong question to ask because Yoon swallowed hard and squeezed his eyes shut as an involuntary shudder ran up his back. Curling up into a ball and pulling the covers up around him he whimpered and shook his head.

 

“Hey, it’s okay, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to…” Mino’s hand hovered over the other’s trembling shoulders, unsure of whether to touch him or not.

 

“I…they…they grabbed me and I…they dragged me back here, they were going to sell me for energy or something—“

 

“Who did this?” Mino asked gently, the fact that Yoon was slowly inching closer to him not escaping his attention.

 

“Terrans.” came the reply as he fumbled awkwardly in his jacket before remembering he wasn’t wearing it and he panicked even more.

 

“Are you looking for this?” the data pad was snatched out of Mino’s hands before he could even finish his sentence and Seungyoon cradled it against his chest, breathing shallow and erratic before pulling the covers up over his head.

 

“Whoever they are, I’m not going to let them find you, alright? Yoon? Trust me.”

 

There was no response from underneath the blankets and Mino sighed patiently as he waited for the other to calm down. Seungyoon had every right to be freaked out of his mind, and he would have to be patient and gentle with him if he was going to get anywhere. He thought about what the Caelan had said. What on earth did he mean? Was there some slave trading ring? And if so, why would they bother going up to Caelum? After a little while, Yoon’s breaths became even and deep and Mino could tell he must have fallen asleep. Slowly, he pulled the covers off just enough to expose the other’s face so he wouldn’t suffocate, when his eyes caught sight of the data-pad clutched to him.

 

Curiosity got the better of Mino and he reached for it, slipping it out of Yoon’s hands and examining it. It was technology unlike anything had ever seen. Terran tech was bulky and chunky, whereas this was sleek and smooth and built not just for practicality but for beauty. Beauty. It was something Mino felt was lacking in his life. All that was around him were replicated artificial colors and dingy scenery. He longed for something truly beautiful. Something like Seungyoon. He was his own light source, a kaleidoscope of colors exploding in his eyes if Mino could hold his brilliant gaze for longer than a second. Seungyoon was beautiful.

 

It took him a bit to figure out to open the thing, but the two halves parted and a screen instantly projected between them. There was no filter on this technology, which was uncomfortably bright, and Mino had to fumble around to find his goggles in order to see. When his eyes finally adjusted, he gasped in surprise. The data pad was filled with information about Terra and its ancient state: Earth. This was what was so important to Seungyoon? He had figured it would be a picture of his family or something…he continued to flick through the various files until he found on on Caelans. Mino paused. Was he being nosey? Should he be looking through this at all? He justified himself in that this was nothing he didn’t already know about Terra, and Terrans. Pushing his scruples aside he tapped on the file.

 

***************

 

Jinu snorted in frustration as he examined the rooftop where he knew Seungyoon must have jumped down from. Luckily he had the advantage of knowing exactly what type of escapades Yoon could get up to and what he was capable of. Landing lightly on his feet, he surveyed the alleyway. Yoon would have gone this way to avoid the busy streets and also the security cameras… Jinu racked his brain trying to think of what had been going through his friend’s mind that night, knowing every hour he wasted was another hour that Seungyoon was out there alone somewhere…

 

He set his jaw and continued his search, something catching his eye. Unusual markings scraped the pavement around where he had been looking, and he moved to stand on top of them, aligning the sweep of the security cameras that were placed around the palace. As he suspected, the markings were exactly outside their range of sight. Jinu frowned. There was something far more sinister here than Yoon merely running away. There were no markings like these back on the roof that the prince must have run along in order to get here, and yet they began in this spot. He pulled out his scanner and put it on a wavelength set to pick up any unseen footprints. Sure enough, there were odd boot prints circling around where he was standing and leading off down an alleyway…like they had been dragging something…or someone. The lieutenant’s heart sped up and he followed them, apprehension growing with every step he took. Already he feared the worst. Perhaps Yoon hadn’t tried to escape but had been taken and it was made to look like he had tried to escape to throw off suspicion? Or maybe…he stopped in a small secluded area on the edge of the city behind the palace where only the trash disposals were and four huge marks in the pavement told him all he needed to know. He quickly called Mingyu.

 

“Yes sir!” he heard a response before some clattering in the background and a muffled “oh shit”

 

“Mingyu, I need you to come down and check the shield base with me.”

 

“Uhh, right now?”

 

“ _Now._ ” Jinu hissed into his communicator as he nearly sprinted for the transport.

 

Mingyu was waiting for him on Cosmia, and together they descended to the lower levels of Ciel.

 

“May I ask what this is all about, sir?” Mingyu asked tentatively after a few awkward moments of silence.

 

“It has to do with Seungyoon.”

 

“Oh.” there was another cough at the mention of the missing Prince. “Has uh…do we know what happened to him?”

 

“I have a pretty fucking good idea,” Jinu growled. “Terrans. Yoonie—Prince Seungyoon—was taken by Terrans.”

 

“TERRANS?!” Mingyu blurted loudly only to be silenced with a glare from Jinu, and clapped his hand over his mouth before repeating in a whisper, “Terrans?”

 

“Shut up.”

 

The transport car was silent after that, Mingyu not daring to ask any more questions.

 

Ciel was mostly shady, being built chiefly on the underside of Caelum, and fairly uninhabited except for the upper part where the food was grown, the lower part being mainly for the huge reactors that kept the city floating. The same comet that had thrown Earth’s orbit off had also left pieces of itself behind. Strange luminescent rocks that glowed like opals and carried extreme amounts of energy. There were three main reactors each holding one comet piece about the size of a fist. They were still the original pieces that had fallen to earth and helped build the city, although Caelans had long since found out how to replicate their energy using the sun’s radiation. The shield, however, was a different matter. Its wide bubble was produced by a circular machine about as wide as a small transport ship and that was where Jinu’s fear lay. Normally, there were automated guard ships circling the area ready to shoot down anything that might get through, but they had been under maintenance for a few rotations now. Caelans had gotten extremely casual about their security, seeing as nothing ever happened.

 

It frustrated Jinu, knowing what a threat was constantly being hidden from the citizens. If everyone were aware, they would be more alert, and things like this wouldn’t happen and soon would still be here! He pushed his anger aside, and focused, pulling Mingyu along into one of the rail cars that ran in straight lines from the outset circle to the center where the shield was.

 

“Mingyu, you’re down here sometimes, tell me, how long have the sentinels been offline?”

 

“Uhh, about three rotations. They’re scheduled to go back up tomorrow, though. Cosmia wanted to update their defense schematics or something. Orders from on high, you know…heh…” he laughed a bit nervously.

 

“Mmm. Any cameras I could check in case something got in?”

 

“Uhh there’s a log…? The array is equipped with sensors that will get a 3D scan of every object that goes through. It’s mostly maintenance shuttles and such, the data gets sent up to be reviewed, but no one ever really does, so I mean—“

 

“Where are the scans stored?”

 

“In a database in the control room. I have access keys although I’m sure your clearance would get you in.”

 

Jinu was already walking away by the time he finished talking, hurrying to the small building and flashing his card to the door monitor.

 

“It would have been during a night rotation…” he mumbled to himself, flicking through hologram time stamps until he found what he was looking for. “There.”

 

“Holy shit. I thought they were just a myth.” Mingyu cracked his knuckles nervously as he watched a foreign looking ship slip through the ring.

 

Suddenly, the hologram crumbled and glitched before flashing a red error symbol.

 

“Corrupted, huh?” Jinu huffed with a smirk. “Well too bad, I already saw it.”

 

He stood up and turned to Mingyu.

 

“You keep quiet about this, yeah?”

 

The younger nodded vigorously.

 

“Good because I’m going to find Yoon myself. Funny how the file corrupted suddenly, isn’t it?” he looked thoughtful before nodding and gritting his teeth. “Yeah, I’ll do it myself. I’ll find you, Yoonie.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hehe, a bit more Mingyu. I don't know why I picked him out of Seventeen...anyway, their comeback was great! Hope you guys enjoy this next update


	7. Seven

Mino slowly put down the data pad and rubbed his temples. Was this real? It couldn’t be. They got their energy from Terra’s core! But those pictures, those missing Caelans…that couldn’t be fake. And it fit with Seungyoon’s story. The markings on him, the torn jacket; he was clearly attacked. Sky Pirates was what the file had said. Mino felt slightly sick. He couldn’t believe his own people would do something like this. He looked back at Yoon’s sleeping figure and closed his eyes as a wave of nausea washed over him. Using people like this? He ran a hand through his hair. He was also presented with a new problem: Seungyoon was definitely dying. It made sense. If he was energy then he had a battery life, unless he was being charged, and he was “charged” by the sun, so unless he could—

 

“Mino?” a tired, voice muffled by blankets startled him out of his thoughts.

 

“Ah! Seungyoon. You’re awake. Do you…want to come out from under the covers?” he asked hopefully.

 

A glowing hand reached out and cautiously the rest of Seungyoon followed. His hair stuck up in all different directions and he rubbed his eyes. Mino covered his own and felt around for his goggles. He still couldn’t look at the Caelan directly without pain.

 

“I’m…” Yoon rubbed his tattooed shoulder, “sorry for freaking out like that.” came the quiet apology.

 

“I understand. I hope you can forgive my people for what they’ve done to you…” he looked away as his voice dropped to a whisper, “and what they were going to do.”

 

“Mino, it’s alright.” the younger stood up and walked around the bed to where the other was sitting, refusing to look at him. “Terrans didn’t kidnap me. A group of people who happened to be Terran did. They don’t represent the whole people.” he paused. “Look Mino, we’re the same. We’re both human beings, evolution has just treated us differently. And I know very few people know about the whole Caelan thing. Very few Caelans know about Terra. I want to change that, Mino. I want…I don’t want us to be just stories.”

 

He stopped to catch his breath and passed a hand over his face.

 

“Ugh, why am I so tired..” he muttered to himself perplexedly.

 

“Aish, Mino, I should introduce myself properly. I’m Pr—“

 

Just then the front door opened and they both jumped, Yoon flying backward into a corner and curling himself up into a ball.

 

“Yoon, get under the covers.” Mino leaped up and ran over to him, tugging him up urgently and pushing him towards the bed.

 

“Why?” the prince whispered in a panicked voice, stumbling in the darkness.

 

“Because I don’t want my brother finding out about you! No one can find out about you, alright? So just stay under the covers and don’t make any noise.” the Terran arranged the bed to look like it was purposely unmade, and faked a yawn and a stretch as the door opened to reveal a tired looking Hoon.

 

“Ahhhh Hoony! How was work? I’m feeling much better today.” Mino smiled innocently.

 

“Good! I was a little worried about you there.” he blew air through out through his nose and he wrinkled it a bit. “Wow, it’s really warm in here. Open the window, would you?”

 

“So…how was work?” Mino did as he was told, padding over to the rattly window and pressing a few barely responsive buttons.

 

“Tiring.”

 

It wasn’t much of an answer, but Mino had come to expect that. Hoon never talked about his work. Mino didn’t even know what he did. He thought perhaps he flew transport ships from the few snippets of conversations he overheard, but it was all vague.

 

Hoon sighed as he saw his brother’s shoulders drop. He felt bad. He wanted so desperately to be who Mino thought he was: an honest hard worker who was generous and always willing to help. Maybe it was selfish of him to want the younger to think that way, to let him hold on to the fantasy that Hoon was a good person. Maybe it was really just Hoon who wanted to be seen that way, keep the illusion. But here he was, spending all day trying to hunt down some kid a bit younger than Mino, who they had kidnapped, only to sell him to be bled dry for energy so some people could live comfortable lives…

 

“So Mino, how’s your invention going?” he changed the topic, knowing that talking about Mino’s passion would cheer him up.

 

“Oh! Uhh I haven’t really had a lot of time to work on it…being sick and all, heh.”

 

_Idiot!_ Mino thought,  _you sound so suspicious!_

 

“I see. Of course.”

 

The conversation died down and Mino picked at his food in silence. It hadn’t always been awkward between them. But ever since Hoon had started his new job, their relationship had started to drift a little. It wasn’t obvious or apparent, something just felt….different. Of course Hoon still cared deeply about him, but he was so much more closed off lately…

 

“I’m going to go to bed now. I’m still a little tired.” Mino excused himself and hurried back into the room. He felt like a little kid who had just found a treasure—he couldn’t stop going back to continuously check on it. Yet Yoon was so much more than a unique stone or an animal claw or a discarded memory chip. He was real and breathing and alive and could talk and—

 

Mino screamed at the sight that greeted him as he opened the door. Yoon had fallen off of the bed and now lay on the ground, motionless.

 

“Yoon!”

 

He rushed over and pulled the unresponsive boy up into his arms, uncaring of the sweat that began to form from being in close proximity to such a heat source. He was sure Yoon felt colder and he couldn’t be sure, but he was glowing dimmer too.

 

“Mino, what—?” Hoon had nearly tripped over his chair when his younger brother shrieked after opening the door to their shared bedroom in his haste to check for injuries, but what he saw made his jaw go slack.

 

It was him. The same boy who had destroyed their ship and managed to escape from three of the most powerful pirates on Terra. The same boy he had been ordered to find. The boy who would make them rich beyond their wildest dreams. Mino was cradling him gently, looking worried, and the room was bathed in a faint white glow emanating from him, lighting up the room with splashes of colors that looked strange and foreign to Hoon. For a split second, his emotions warred within him. He considered ripping the boy out of Mino’s grip and dragging him away, turning him in and using the money to get them all the way to the capitol, so Mino could have everything he needed to be a real inventor. But it was only for a second before it passed and he felt his heart clench. Maybe this was the chance he had always wanted. Zhin wasn’t here to drown out his conscience with his smooth voice and appealing plans and dreams. It was just Hoon alone with himself, to make his own choices. He had this one time to decide, but once he turned Yoon in, he could never go back. Mino would know, and would resent him forever, and Hoon? He would continue on until he became just like Zhin: cold, unfeeling and angry.

 

“Mino, you idiot.” he breathed out before crossing the room in one stride.

 

“Hoon, Hoony, I can explain…he—I—“ the younger was on the verge of tears, clinging onto the Caelan and preventing Hoon from even touching him.

 

“Mino, listen to me right now. You need to make a synthetic energy using these specs…” he fished around in his pocket and handed Mino a small memory stick. “Hurry, or he’s going to die.”

 

Gently, but firmly, he took the young man out of Mino’s confused grasp and lifted him into his own bed. He pressed two fingers against the thin wrist, to ascertain there was still a heartbeat as the Caelan’s breaths became more labored and shallow. He groaned weakly, teeth chattering, and Hoon silently prayed Mino picked up on the urgency in his voice. It was only a matter of time before this happened. As a sky pirate, Hoon was quite knowledgeable about Caelan abilities. This included their lifespans, strengths and weaknesses; and right now, the poor thing had done the equivalent of running a marathon and then not drinking any water for almost three days.

 

Yoon felt like he was dying. No matter what he did, he couldn’t get enough air into his lungs, as if suddenly he had lost all his energy. It hurt to breathe, to move, to think. He was vaguely conscious of Mino holding him, then being on a bed as he faded in and out. He was so so so cold, the cold that sunk into his bones. He whimpered in pain as his hands came up to grab at his chest, breathing becoming more and more difficult as a hand, presumably Mino’s, checked his pulse. He was going to die, he was sure of it. He thought about his mother, about Caelum, about Jinu, about Grandma Amie, and he started to cry. He didn’t want to die here, in a strange place, all alone, forgotten by everyone.

 

“Hey, don’t cry.” the voice was most definitely not Mino’s, but it was soothing and calm, a hand resting softly on his chest. “You’ll only make it worse.”

 

It sounded vaguely familiar, like Yoon had heard it before, but also in a way it reminded him of Jinu when he fussed and Yoon pretended to be annoyed but was secretly touched by it. The memory only made him want to cry more. He missed Jinu so much.

 

Hoon was hesitant to touch the Caelan, since he had seen what had happened before when the others had been manhandling him back on this ship, but he was extremely surprised when, after he felt his pulse, there were no marks left behind as he had expected. It was like his hand had been immersed in a pool where the water was liquid light. He had never seen his hand this color before, the faint blue of his hands now able to be seen prominently, the paleness of his fingernails, all of it was enhanced by the glow that the young man emanated.

Seeing his hand in this way, this new way, brought out something in him that he didn’t know was there. A sort of emotion of hope, an inexplicable happiness, and a longing. He only prayed Mino would be able to finish before the Caelan Prince was completely drained.

 

“Hoon, I’m done, what should I—“ Mino’s worried voice broke off as he caught sight of Yoon on the bed as he hurried over.

 

“Hoon…” he whispered as his voice cracked, “Is he—is he _dead._ ”

 

“No, but he will be if you don’t stop panicking. Now come here and hold his head—no don’t _grab_ him, just easy.” Hoon instructed as Mino did as he was told, cradling Seungyoon’s head and tilting it to the side to expose his neck.

 

Hoon picked up the syringe of glowing plasma that was hot to the touch and pressed it slowly into the soft skin, emptying it completely. The two brothers held their breath, waiting for the boy to move, give some sign that he was still alive.

 

“Mmmm ow.” Yoon squirmed a bit and stretched before opening his eyes.

 

Both Mino and Hoon could honestly say that it was both the most painful and the most awe-striking thing they had ever seen though it felt like their brains had been seared. If Mino had thought Yoon’s eyes were beautiful before, it was nothing like what they were now. It was like a million crystals that were found deep below the crust of the earth had been lit on fire and burned in an explosion of colors; As if a piece of the sun had fallen down to earth.

 

“YAH! W-who are you?” He flew up from Mino’s arms and took up a defensive position, balls of flaming white appearing on his hands, extensions of himself as he turned his eyes to Hoon.

 

“Ahhh Seungyoon, this is my brother, Hoon.” Mino slowly inched between his brother and Seungyoon, who tilted his head and relaxed.

 

It was incredible, was this what Yoon was like up on Caelum? Powerful, eyes of fire, athletic, strong. Yoon inclined his head slightly and the corners of his mouth lifted a bit.

 

“I don’t think I ever introduced myself properly. I’m Prince Seungyoon of Caelum.”

 

“Prince!?!?” Mino was sure his jaw dropped to the floor, and suddenly Yoon looked much bigger. He could practically feel the aura radiating off of him.

 

No wonder he was wanted by pirates. If what the data pad had said was to be believed, the President of Caelum and their line were the most powerful, possessing almost superhuman abilities.

 

“Hooooly shit.” Hoon whistled under his breath, shaking himself out of his stupor and darkening the windows as far as they could go.

 

“You’re—uh…hi…yes…” Mino stuttered, Yoon’s face crinkled as he smiled, the corners of his eyes creasing.

 

“Thank you for saving my life.” the prince continued, stepping closer as Mino stepped backward a bit. “When I was taken…I…” he frowned, his face falling, “I didn’t think anyone would come for me.”

 

“You don’t…you don’t have the entire city of Caelum looking for you?” Mino was taken aback. He had half expected a full-scale invasion of Caelans the second the words “Prince” passed Seungyoon’s lips.

 

“No.” Seungyoon sat on the bed and stared off at nothing wistfully. “I broke the law and I think…I think they were trying to kill me.”

 

“Tch. How can a Prince break a law? Aren’t you royalty all the same? Entitled to everything?” Hoon couldn’t hide the slight scoff in his voice.

 

“Hoony!!!” the younger looked appalled and reached towards Seungyoon, who folded his arms and scowled a bit. “Leave him alone!”

 

“We’re not _all_ the same you know—“ he began in a snarky tone, rolling his eyes before he stopped and looked at Hoon earnestly, “Wait, do royalty really seem that way?”

 

“Well—sort of! I mean, who just waltzes in to be all buddy-buddy with the King? We’re barely scraping by here, trying to make ends meet, who wouldn’t feel a little bit…resentful towards someone rich and powerful, who sits above you, who doesn’t care, doesn’t know about the sacrifices we make—” he clenched his fists.

 

“Hoon, enough!”

 

“No, I _DO_ care!” Yoon cried at the same time as Mino reprimanded his brother and they both turned to look at him. “I do! I do everything to make sure I understand my people. I don’t want to be that way, I don’t want to be that person! I want to care!” he broke of with a small sniffle, burying his head in his hands and starting to cry.

 

“Yoon…” Mino started, reaching towards Yoon, but the other only flinched away.

 

“Please just leave me alone. I’ll leave.” came the muffled response.

 

Mino glared daggers at his brother as he retreated away from Yoon, who curled up in a ball on the bed. “Yoon, no don’t go anywhere. You can’t, you’ll die. Please. You can be mad at us, just…don’t…”

 

A muffled grunt that sounded something like “fine” was all he got before the ball of light on the bed turned around and refused to move or interact anymore.

 

“IDIOT!” Mino nearly whisper shrieked at Hoon as soon as he was outside the door.

 

“Ok, ok, maybe I was a bit harsh on the kid.” Hoon held up his hands in defense, seeing as his younger brother was a literal mass of rage at the moment.

 

“Harsh?! Hoon, you don’t know _anything_ about who he is or what he’s like! And you said all those things?!” he seethed, slamming his hand on the wall next to the older.

 

“Mino, calm down.”

 

“No, I won’t calm down! Seungyoon has been through hell and that’s how you treat him? You should go back in there and fucking apologize!”

 

“Don’t tell me what to do, Mino!” Hoon gave him a shove. “Aish why did you even have to find him…” he muttered bitterly under his breath.

 

“Why do you have to be such an asshole?!”

 

 

Seungyoon pulled the covers over his head and curled up even tighter as he listened to the two brothers fight outside his door. It hurt, he didn’t want them to fight. He felt like a burden, already tearing this family apart when all they had were each other; like him and his mom…he missed home so so much. He wondered about Jinu, how he felt now that he knew he was missing. Did he even care? Did his mother? Did anyone? What had he even done that was so wrong no one cared if he disappeared? All he had ever wanted was to be a good President, but now his dream crumbled before his eyes, the hope of ever getting back to Caelum dwindling with each passing day. Yoon squeezed his eyes shut disconsolately and fell asleep, never wanting to wake up again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry about Hoon, y'all. He gets so much better I promise!!


	8. Chapter Eight

Jinu hesitated a bit outside the office of the President before taking a deep breath and pressing the button.

 

“Come.” came the faint reply from inside.

 

The President herself looked tired, as if she hadn’t slept well in a week which, to be honest, she probably hadn’t. Seungyoon was all she had, and with him gone, her joy and determination were draining fast. She was no longer the confident leader she always was, but had diminished into a disinterested and tired shell of herself. She kept a strong face for the people, but Jinu knew better. Seungyoon was a mystery, no one really knew where he had even come from. The President had never officially married anyone, but private marriages weren’t unusual, to keep out of the public eye and maintain some privacy. Be that as it may, the identity of Seungyoon’s father was unknown by most, including Jinu. Some people thought it was an alien, a god even, but Jinu thought those claims where ridiculous. Seungyoon most certainly did _not_ act like a god, especially when he was whiny and in abad mood from being woken up. Or when he was hungry. Or—

 

“Jinu!” the President’s face brightened considerably when she saw who it was. “Do you…is there….?”

 

“Actually, there is. But, I’m afraid its….not good.” he looked around then leaned in. “I think your son was taken…” he lowered his voice to a whisper, “ by Sky Pirates.”

 

“Jinu…what…?”

 

“Listen, I saw marks everywhere when I did a thermal scan, he got attacked and dragged off. Just today I went with Mingyu down to Ciel and went though the scans? At rotation 2, a foreign ship entered through the shield, the same night Seungyoon would have gone missing.”

 

“Do you have any proof?”

 

“Well, that’s the thing. The file corrupted while I was watching it.”

 

“Jinu…” the woman rubbed her face a bit and sighed, the light in her eyes that was previously there dying down.

 

“It doesn’t matter!” Jinu insisted,“I know what I saw, and I’m going down there after him!”

 

“Look, Jinu, I know you care about my son, but, going down to Terra, a place we know practically nothing about…I don’t want you getting hurt Jinu, and I’m sure that’s the last thing Seungyoon would want as well.” she shook her head and went to stand up, but the soldier reached out and stopped her.

 

“Actually, ma’am, I have full clearance to the archives Seungyoon was sneaking into every night. I know a lot about Terra, trust me. And also,” he paused, setting his jaw a little, “I think it may be partially my fault this happened. On the night of my promotion, Yoon and I got…really…drunk….Oh I wasn’t supposed to tell you this….and he may have bribed the code to the archives out of me….Yoon is going to kill me if he finds out I told you…heh…” Jinu trailed off and sat there awkwardly, face turning bright red.

 

“So…Seungyoon is a heavyweight hmm?” the corners of her mouth twitched up in a slight smile. “What a coincidence. Alright, Jinu, I can’t authorize you going, but if you don’t tell me,” she smiled faintly and winked, “I won’t know.”

 

“Understood.” Jinu nodded and turned to walk out of her office, heart pounding.

 

“Don’t forget, Jinu.” she called as he went out, tapping her wrist a few times.

 

He gave a brief nod before the door closed.

 

***********

 

“Sure, man, but can you even fly one of those things? They’re very…” Daesung made vague motions with his hands to try and convey the feeling of flying the craft that Jinu had pointed to.

 

Daesung was the only person Jinu really trusted not to go blabbing to everyone about where he was going. They had worked together for a few years until Daesung had gone blind in an accident with the shield, and he was honorably discharged from the Shield Techs. He had been one of the ones in charge of fixing the shield from the outside, and had flown many ships capable of withstanding the atmosphere outside of the protective bubble around the city. Plus, he was a huge softie and enormously worried about Seungyoon, gladly agreeing to help Jinu get through the shield undetected.

 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Jinu laughed, raising an eyebrow. “Seriously, I’ll be fine. As long as I head out during an opposite rotation.”

 

“You know that doesn’t matter, right? The only thing causing the darkness is the shadow of the city. Once you leave that, the sun will be hitting you just as bright as during the day. It’s a very quick transition from day to night, so make sure that you’re using the navigation system the whole way, even if you think you don’t need it.”

 

“You worry too much Daesung.” the other shrugged at his friend’s fussing. Was this what Yoon felt when he always was cautioning him?

 

“I want you to come back in one piece, you know. And with Prince Seungyoon.”

 

Jinu held up a hand as he walked off towards the ship.

 

“I’m not leaving Terra until I find him.”

 

**************

 

“Mino.” Hoon began tiredly, “what on earth were you thinking bringing him in here?”

 

They were whispering since Seungyoon was asleep, but Mino refused to leave him alone, currently sitting on the side of the bed next to him, Hoon on his own bed with his arms folded.

 

“He was going to die alright? He would have drowned if I hadn’t found him when I did.” the younger defended himself.

 

“How on earth did he even get down here anyway?”

 

“He was kidnapped. Hoon…it’s sick you know. Yoon had a data-pad with him and we’ve been lied to our whole lives.” he shut his eyes, thinking back to what he had seen.

 

“What the hell you talking about, Minnie?” Hoon grunted, lying down on the bed.

 

“Our energy! Our power! It doesn’t come from the core, it comes from people! People, Hoon! People _we_ kidnap! They were living their lives normally and we kill them instead of finding other solutions. I’m—“

 

“Mino, you just believe some information you found on a data pad from Caelum? They hate us! Where do you think they got all this information on us from? The first people on Caelum! The Caelan’s ancestors left us to die here on Earth. It’s just lies to make them hate us more!” he spoke quickly, even though he knew most of it was a lie.

 

“No, you’re wrong.” Mino calmly told him, eyes filled with tears. “The pictures are recent. And we _chose_ to stay on earth, Hoon. You know that.”

 

Hoon swallowed hard, suddenly feeling like he needed to get out.

 

“I’m just saying don’t believe everything you read.”

 

“At the very least, _some_ Terrans, whether its for energy or not, are kidnapping Caelans. He’s proof of that. When I first found him, there were black marks all over him from where they grabbed him. It’s a defense mechanism.” Mino snapped.

 

The two of them reverted back to a tense silence before Hoon stood up and left, walking out of the room to get some air. The second he was out of the room, he sank against the door, feeling suddenly exhausted. This was all so much to take in: Seungyoon was a wanted man, hunted, and if he was discovered here, they would all be done for. His feelings warred within him; every time he made up his mind to turn the Caelan in, the frightened face of the boy appeared in his mind. He was Mino’s age, maybe a bit younger; he couldn’t do that to him. And besides, who was he anyway? Was he the person Zhin had made or was he his own person? Shaking his head, he left the apartment to go for a walk. He needed to clear his mind.

 

 

****************

 

Outside, a group of men walked down the street, laughing as they staggered home from the bar.

 

“Hoon will find him. No one hunts like he does.” The first one slurred. That was Sam, who was slightly more coherent than Jip.

 

“He’d be the best pirate out there if only he didn’t have such a soft heart.”Jip scoffed. “If I ever get my hands on that kid I’m going to beat his ass. I think I’m half blind because of him.”

 

“Damn quit acting all sensitive and shit, you’re fucking fine. Once we get paid, we’ll be living like Kings it won’t matter if you’re blind or not.” Sam irritably gave his companion a shove, clearly a little too hard as he fell into the mud of the street.

 

“What the FUCK!”

 

“Knock it off you two. You’ll attract unwanted attention. You never know who might be watching.” A new voice spoke up, low and calm, immediately making the other two tense, “You really think the Caelans are going to let us have their prince that easily? They’ll be sending their most elite teams. They think we’re savages, bargaining and diplomacy are most certainly not on their mind when it comes to dealing with us. Perhaps they’re right. We should never make the mistake of underestimating them. They’re powerful, centuries of evolution under the most powerful source of energy, their blood is practically liquid plasma. If we had cut the kid, his blood would have burned right through our ship. Otherwise believe me I would have. So don’t get comfortable. We aren’t safe.”

 

Zhin finished his speech and the others went off grumbling and muttering in separate directions. He lingered, however, scanning the empty streets with a trained eye; watching, waiting. A tingle ran through him and he narrowed his eyes.

 

“I’ve found you, _Seungyoon_.” his voice was low and a sadistic grin spread over his face and he nodded to himself. Finally satisfied, he pulled up his hood, turned on his heel and disappeared into the shadows.

 

*************

 

 

Jinu winced and bit his lip against the sting of the syringe, injecting more of the energy into his bloodstream. Caelan soldiers always carried them when going below the cloud circle for extended periods of time, since they needed the energy to live. How was Yoon surviving? They were probably keeping him alive, he thought bitterly as he scanned the area again for the same energy signature of the foreign ship that had been back up on Caelum. There was a faint one, but it seemed in several pieces. He followed it to a remote section of the planet, for which he was grateful. Old technology littered the place, and the signal ended in an abandoned ship yard.

 

Biting back the tears and the sinking feeling that his friend could already possibly be dead, Jinulanded and exited his ship after carefully hiding it under some old metal. His glasses created a detailed scan of the environment so he could easily see where he was going despite the uncomfortable blackness. Suddenly, he stopped short as he came across wreckage from a ship....a pirate ship. _The_ pirate ship. The energy signatures stopped here, so it must be it. Jinu rushed forward and examined the debris....completely destroyed. What had happened? Had they crashed? Yoon....

 

No. He refused to think that way. Yoon couldn’t be dead. Besides, there would have been bodies. He did several scans for something, anything. He got high energy readings, Yoon must have put up quite a fight...footprints in the mud leading away...those were about the prince’s size of shoe! A sudden hope surged again within him and he set his glasses to illuminate the trail of footprints. Filled with new purpose, the soldier practically ran, throwing caution to the winds in his excitement. His heart beat faster and faster until he reached the end of the footprints. Yoon had fallen, there was a scuffle, and several different shoe marks were going in every direction. They must have been searching for him. Disappointment struck again. There were no more shoe marks belonging to Yoon, so whoever took him must have carried him, which was bad because there were four separate sets of tracks all leading in different directions. Fuck. He was going to have to follow every one. Jinu set his jaw. For Yoon. It was the least he could do.

 

 

****************

 

The next morning, it seemed like Yoon was in a much better mood. He even engaged Mino a bit, asking about his family and such, although he pointedly ignored Hoon.

 

“So, is it just you and your brother here?” he asked, slowly eating what Mino gave him.

 

“Yeah. Mom and dad died in an accident or something. I don’t really remember them very well. Actually, I don’t remember a whole lot of anything from before. It’s weird.” Mino rubbed his neck a bit, “Hoon says its because it was traumatic and my brain has chosen to forget it.”

 

Yoon nodded silently, wishing that his brain could do that too about this and everything else that had happened in the last week.

 

“What about you, Seungyoon? You must have family back on Caelum.” Mino spoke again, seeing the other’s troubled face.

 

Family. His mother was probably worried sick.

 

_“Look mommy, I made you something!” he ran happily up to his mother, who was working at her desk, ignoring Jihan’s protests._

 

_“Oh? What do you have there, honey?” she looked up from what she was doing and turned her chair towards him, leaning forward expectantly._

 

_“Its a flower! I grew it all by myself!” he handed it to her proudly._

 

_It was a bit wilted from having been squeezed in his small fist for the time it probably took him to get from Ciel to Hanuel, but it was very beautiful. Small, with seven spikey petals that were a baby blue, nearly translucent. Smiling, his mother took it gently from him and put it on a small silver circle where it was suspended in an invisible field for display. That was where she put everything Seunguyoon gave her, from his synthesized figured to badly programmed holo-displays._

 

_“It’s so blue, it reminds me of the sky. Thank you Seungyoon.” she ruffled his hair and the boy smiled so wide it nearly reached his ears._

 

_“That’s why I made it! You are always happy when you look at the sky, so I brought some sky to you!”_

 

“Seungyoon?” Mino waved a hand in front of his eyes, which had grown distant, “are you okay?”

 

“Y-yeah. Sorry.” he shook himself and continued, answering the question as if nothing had happened, “Just mom the president. We’re very close. I never knew my dad and mom never talks about him. I’ve tried asking, but she always just changes the subject, and I’m not that dumb to know she won’t talk about it. I had half hoped to find things about him in the archives, but…AH!” Yoon had sighed heavily and leaned back in his chair, but nearly fell backwards before Mino stopped it with his foot.

 

“Careful.”

 

“Thanks.”

 

Yoon looked away and his eyes grew sad. It made Mino’s heart clench, he couldn’t imagine what the younger must be feeling. He wished he could reach out and hold him, but he wasn’t sure how comfortable the prince was around him, or what effect prolonged close contact with him would have. He cleared his throat.

 

“So Yoon, you said you broke a law?”

 

A small nod of affirmation was the response.

 

“I don’t know why the government was trying to hide all of this from the people. I only wanted to learn more about the world so I could be a better president. Mino,” he looked up at him, eyes shimmering with liquid tears of light. “Do you think your people would want peace? Because I do. I’ve dreamed about it my whole life.” his eyes began to grow distant as if he was remembering a fond memory, “I never paid attention in classes but it was only because I wanted to go out and experience the lives of the people instead of just some static lesson.” he chuckled lightly, “I used to sneak out and go visit my friends on the other levels.”

 

A semblance of a smile tugged at the corners of Mino’s mouth. So Seungyoon was a bit of a troublemaker?

 

“Come with me, I want to show you something.” Mino suddenly was tugging the other boy up and towards his workshop.

 

Mino’s workshop was cluttered and cramped with wires and metal and different half finished inventions and robots, but it was by no means disorganized. He was able to find everything he was looking for all the time. The lighting was a bit brighter in here than any of the standard building lights so he was able to see better, and he could tell right away Yoon’s shoulder’s relaxed even more the more light he was exposed to. The boy in question stood blinking at the sight before him, taking everything in. He wore a mixture of an impressed but confused expression.

 

“I’ve never seen this type of technology before…” he finally spoke and Mino felt a spark of pride go through him, being able to show Yoon something new. 

 

“It’s old earth tech. I’m sure it looks primitive to you. You can just say it, Yoonie, I’ve seen your clothes. The technology on that is like nothing I even imagined could exist.”

 

“Well, the problem of energy is considerably reduced for us. Ultimately Mino, I power my own tech.”

 

Mino nearly dropped what he was fiddling with. To even cause a current of electricity let alone sustainably power a piece of technology a considerable amount of power was needed, and the implications that Yoon, with his own energy, could power several small pieces of tech comfortably…He thought again about what Hoon had said about not believing everything he heard and shook his head. Everything Yoon said just confirmed the story and instead of making it more murky it only got clearer.

 

“Do you happen to know exactly how much?”

 

"No, but you’re the inventor, I’m sure you could find out.” Yoon shrugged and poked a bit at a weird round-looking robot.

 

“Yoon, I’m not going to study you like some sort of science experiment!—Hey, don’t touch!” Mino quickly grabbed the curious hand away.

 

It reminded Yoon a lot of Jinu, always worried about him fussing with the buttons in the control room and he smiled at the memory.

 

“So? I know you want to Mino. You’re a discoverer. You want to learn about the world, and I’m part of the world, so it’s only natural. And it’s not an experiment! Well alright, I guess it is, but I—I’m okay with it because I know you won’t hurt me.” he flashed the brightest grin at the other and continued happily, “besides, we need to learn about each other. Maybe you’ll be able to find a way to look at us without goggles.”

 

 Mino simply gaped at the younger as he skipped around looking at things and casting sidelong glances to show he was not going to touch anything again. Off course he would love to know how on earth Yoon was the way he was, but he had quickly pushed those thoughts aside. Yet now here he was, practically inviting him to do so. 

 

“Oh! You wanted to show me something, Mino. What was it?” Yoon ceased his movements stood in front of him.

 

At his full height, he was still slightly shorter than Mino, but barely. By far the most captivating thing about him was still his eyes. At first, Mino had thought they were just solid light, but with the goggles on and able to look at him directly, he noticed that they contained _colors_ , colors unlike anything Mino had ever seen. So much more vibrant than even the most flashy neon bar sign.

 

“Uh, yes. Here.” he ushered him over to where his invention was lying half complete and in pieces on the workbench. “It’s a ship. To go up to Caelum.”

 

Yoon looked at it for a long time with an unreadable expression, tracing his finger lightly over the smooth curve of the welded metal. The mention of the possibility to go back to his home seemed to cause something in him to just snap. Suddenly he turned and grabbed both of Mino’s hands.

 

“Please, Mino, help me get home.” he whispered. “I want to go home.”

 

“Shhh, Yoon, of course I’ll help you.” the Terran pulled Yoon into a comforting embrace, running his calloused fingers through the other’s delicate white locks. “It will be alright.”

 

They stood there in the middle of Mino’s laboratory as Yoon cried into his shoulder. The hot liquid tears slightly burned Mino through the fabric of his skin but he didn’t complain and held him close, continuing to stroke his hair soothingly.

 

Mino’s arms reminded him of Jinu and all the times the soldier had been there for him when he felt overwhelmed and upset. Homesickness washed over him in waves and he sobbed even harder, praying that he would be able to see his home again someday.

 

Hoon had come back that night to see Mino making something for the three of them.

 

“Mino—“ he started tiredly, seeing the glare the younger cast in his direction.

 

“You should go apologize to Seungyoon.”

 

“Alright al _right._ ” he held up his hands and stalked toward the room, knowing Mino would never let up until he had done it.

 

“Don’t scare him, Hoon.” the younger hissed after him.

 

The room was incredibly warm, courtesy of Seungyoon, who was sleeping soundly on Mino’s bed. Hoon stopped and watched him for a while; thinking. He was beautiful, and innocent, and he had essentially ruined his life. Sitting down and putting his head in his hands, he silently began to cry as guilt washed over him. It had never really hit him before, all the implications of his line of work, and it hurt that Seungyoon was only lucky enough to have escaped because of his powers otherwise he would be dead by now; or just as good as dead, kept alive only to suck more energy out of him. And all because he couldn’t stand up and be his own person.

 

“Why are you crying?” A soft voice startled him and he frantically wiped away the tears.

 

“What? I’m not crying just dozed off a bit.” Lame.

 

Hoon didn’t say anything in reply and the Caelan sighed before settling back.

 

“It’s ok. You don’t have to tell me. Jinu is the same way, all closed up. I just thought I’d offer.”

 

Hoon stared at him for a while, contemplating. Should he tell him? It was risky. If Seungyoon knew, he would probably just be forever suspicious of Hoon. But if he didn’t tell him, one way or anything, the boy would probably figure it out, and the betrayal would be that much worse.

 

“I was— feeling guilty.” He finally admitted, decided to just get it over with.

 

Yoon kept his eyes shut which Hoon was thankful for since he wasn’t wearing goggles.

 

“So you _were_ there, weren’t you. You saw?”

 

“Look I’m not proud of what I do but it’s the only thing I can do that makes money. Mino’s the smart one. All I got was brute strength and i can fly shit. Im too dumb for anything else. I didn’t want Mino to have to work, he loves inventing so much...don’t tell him please, i don’t want him to—“

 

“Think less of you? Yeah I imagine he would.” Yoon cut in.

 

“Don’t you?”

 

“I barely know you, I hardly think that’s possible. As I said, I don’t know what it’s like to be poor and struggling, I’ve always grown up with nice things, so I can’t speak to how I’d act if I were in your situation. I’m not sure I can pass judgement on you. Any of you for that matter. I mean, I’d prefer to live, like anyone else, but....” Yoon paused. “Why haven’t any of you all thought to try getting energy from the sun or something?”

 

“We were working on it, but our window was so limited…and then it happened. He fell from the sky like some sort of messiah.” Hoon felt tears form in his eyes again. “A Caelan. Like you. That’s when we discovered their incredible powers. My superior—former superior Zhin knows the most about it. Apparently he was there when they found him.”

 

To say Yoon’s reaction had surprised him was an understatement. He wasn’t sweet and forgiving, but he wasn’t cold and hateful either. It was more than he deserved, but not more than that.

 

“Seungyoon, I’m sorry for what I did to you.”

 

“Thank you,” suddenly Yoon opened his eyes, taking Hoon by surprise. “You’re forgiven.”

 

Hoon had no time to close his own and he found himself staring directly into the other’s. For the first time he could swear he saw colors so vibrant he thought he would die. The Caelan’s eyes were like nothing he had ever seen, white and yet not white; all of the colors at once reflected back at him, much like their sparkling city.

 

“Stop!” Yoon clapped a hand over Hoon’s face quickly. “You’ll go blind.”

 

There was silence while Hoon tried to blink away the images that danced before his eyes.

 

“I won’t tell Mino.” the other continued, “because I want _you_ to tell him.”

 

“Tell who what?” Mino asked as he loudly made an entrance into the room carrying food.

 

“Nothing.” the two quickly replied in unison, making him raise an eyebrow.

 

“You didn’t have to bring me this, I could have gotten it myself.” Seungyoon protested as a plate was shoved into his hands.

 

“Well I figured since you’re royalty, I should make you feel more at home.” there was sarcasm in the reply yet at the same time it was mixed with care.

 

“Stop, you sound like Jinu.” the prince groaned, rolling his eyes although he was secretly grateful.

 

“You’re really close to Jinu, aren’t you? Who is he?” Mino hopped up onto the bed next to Seungyoon, who complained loudly that he was going to spill his food everywhere with all his moving around.

 

“Jinu is…Jinu is probably the only person out looking for me.” Yoon looked out the window wistfully. “I hope he hasn’t become too discouraged.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can I just say thank you so much everyone for the super sweet comments? It makes me so so happy and its very encouraging! <3


	9. Chapter Nine

Jinu sighed and leaned up against a building, pulling his hood further over his head in an attempt to hide his glowing. Yoon’s energy signature was fading quickly, and he was losing hope. He fished out the scanner again from his pocket and vaguely swept it around, not really expecting to find anything in the area except him; but this time, a small flicker appeared on his screen. At first, he passed it off as just a blip, a glitch in filtering out his own energy waves, but it didn’t disappear, even after he cross-checked. He took a step forward and it grew marginally stronger, so he knew he was going in the right direction. Filled with new hope, he set off, nearly into a sprint in his excitement, before he remembered he should conserve his energy for any dangers that might threaten him…or Seungyoon.

 

***********

 

The three were seated on the bed, Yoon sandwiched between them as he showed off some of the pictures he had on his data pad of Caelum. Hoon had been a few times, but somehow this all felt so new, Seungyoon offering to show him around the gardens, since they had never seen a plant before, actually being invited instead of sneaking around. The prince had gotten quite comfortable with them, warming up easily, and, as it turned out, was extremely talkative. He would go on all day about his home and his mother and Jinu if they let him. Mino wanted to know about the tech, Hoon wanted to know about the ships, and both of them were amazed at the idea of flowers.

 

“So they’re just…colorful organic things full of sugar?” Mino asked, pointing to his favorite one, a vibrant blue with lots of folds that Yoon informed him was called a “rose”. “And they’re naturally like that? You don’t have to like, program them?”

 

“Yeah. I mean I think they do some bio-engineering to get new species and colors, but there’s nothing inorganic going on.” the young Caelan laughed at his bewilderment.

 

“Can I…eat it? Would it be sweet?”

 

“No! No please don’t eat the flowers.” Seungyoon nearly fell off the bed laughing at the idea, patting Mino on the shoulder a few times as he tried to catch his breath.

 

“Aish you want to eat everything!” Hoon snorted, “He tried to lick a neon light when he was little.”

 

“I have to take you to my favorite bar when we go back,” the other continued, as Mino reached around to smack Hoon for embarrassing him. “Once we went for Jinu’s promotion celebration and I got him so drunk it was amazing!”

 

There was silence for a bit when the laughter subsided.

 

“Thank you for helping me get home, Mino, Hoon. I—“

 

A banging on the door startled the three, and Mino quickly threw a blanket over Yoon as Hoon got up and shut the door to the bedroom before going down to see.

 

“They found me.” Yoon whispered, shivering uncontrollably. “They found me I know it.”

 

“Yoon just calm down. We’re not going to let them hurt you.” Mino pulled him close. “ _I’m_ not going to let them hurt you.”

 

 

Hoon’s heartbeat picked up when he opened the door to reveal Jip, smiling deviously.

 

“Hello Hoon. You haven’t been to work recently.” he commented as he unceremoniously pushed past him into the house, turning and looking at Hoon expectantly, as if waiting for a response.

 

When none came except a glare, Jip shrugged and continued.

 

“We found the kid. But of course, since you weren’t there you couldn’t get your share.” the grin grew even wider.

 

“What do you _want_ , Jip?” Hoon sighed tiredly.

 

“Huh, I thought you’d be a little bit more upset that that at finding out you missed out on _millions._ ” the tone of the man’s voice was making Hoon highly suspicious.

 

“I can tell when you’re lying, Jip.” he rolled his eyes and started to walk forward, clenching his fist as Jip took a few steps back, still with a sickening smile plastered on his face.

 

“Oh, but I’m not lying.”

 

Hoon’s eyes widened in realization as a crash and an earsplitting shriek was heard in the other room.

 

“FUCK!! MINO!!” he cursed as he realized the door had been locked from the inside and there was no way he could get to them…unless…

 

He kicked the door with his full strength. The house was old and the door was weak, it should break, right? He thought desperately to himself. The metal shuddered from the impact. Just one more blow…

 

 

“Don’t touch him!” Mino shoved Yoon behind him and the Caelan crawled towards the door.

 

“Stay out of my way.” a voice hissed, and Mino was thrown carelessly to the side by someone with an inordinate amount of strength.

 

Yoon was stopped in his tracks as someone stomped on his leg. Hard. He shrieked in pain as the sound of crunching bone was heard, falling and clutching his injured limb.

 

“YOONIE!! Let go of him!!!” Mino yelled, trying to run towards where the other lay, but what grabbed roughly and his arms wrenched behind his back.

 

He wasn’t weak, but he certainly had never been strong, not like Hoon. Mino studied and invented, not fought off thugs attacking him who were bigger and stronger, and he watched helplessly as the man from earlier towered over Yoon, who was still whimpering in pain from his injury.

 

“Don’t try to run like before.” the man laughed. It was the awful one from earlier with the cold voice. Zhin? That was his name. Yoon recognized him right away and pathetically tried to squirm away. He was stopped as Zhin kicked him roughly, nearly crushing him under the weight of his foot so he could barely breathe.

 

“I’ve got you now, Prince Seungyoon.” he whispered, crouching down.

 

Yoon could do nothing but gasp and cry from pain and fear.

 

“Mino….” he tried to reach out to the other man but it was no use and he felt his vision fading as something cold was pressed into his neck and an incredible sluggishness came over him.

 

“Yoonie! Yoonie, don’t close your eyes….don’t….” Mino sobbed hard as he saw the younger’s eyes slip closed and his body go limp.

 

He had promised nothing would happen to him; said he wouldn’t let anything happen…and now…damn, he _hated_ it. This helpless feeling—utter uselessness—that settled at the bottom of his stomach and made him slump in defeat. He had completely failed Yoon. The other had counted on him to protect him, he had failed and now Yoon was going to suffer a long and painful death. Because of him. He vaguely heard Hoon trying to kick the door in, saw the thin man throw Yoon over his shoulder with surprising strength, all as if it were in a dream.

 

“Take him too. No witnesses. He’ll blab to everyone.” Zhin ordered Sam, who was holding Mino still.

 

“What about Hoon?”

 

“Oh, he won’t talk. Not when we’ve got something to make him keep quiet.” he threw Mino a pointed glance, and Mino spat in his face which earned him a broken nose.

 

“Fuck you! You…you… _monster_!!” he growled, clutching his face as blood ran between his fingers.

 

“Hmm…maybe I am. But Terrans are certainly no better than me. You’re _all_ monsters.” Zhin laughed.

 

“What—?” Mino stopped as the realization of what Zhin had said hitting him with full force.

 

“Sir! The door?” Sam asked with concern as a dent appeared.

 

Zhin merely held up his hand and waited, standing directly in front of the door. On the sixth kick, the door flew inwards and Hoon rushed forward only to be hit directly in the chest with a blast fired by Zhin.

 

“HOONY!!” Mino tried desperately to worm his way out of Sam’s grip, but it was impossible, any more and his arms would snap.

 

“Tell anyone and he dies, Hoon.” the leader said calmly, stepping over Hoon as he struggled to regain his bearings and stand up, even with the extreme pain in his chest.

 

“Mino…Mino…no…” he coughed out, watching his younger brother, who he would give the world for, be dragged away, Seungyoon with him.

 

Bitterly, he thought that this was only just. He was receiving his just punishment, watching his world be torn from him, just as he had done to Seungyoon.

 

*************

 

When Jinu got to the house where Yoon’s energy signature had been, he knew he was already too late. The door was already open, and there were traces of a struggle. He stepped gingerly over some broken glass. He saw more than heard the figure lying on the ground groaning in pain. Terran blaster shot to the chest. Luckily the setting didn’t seem that high.

 

“You…you’re another…Caelan aren’t you?” Hoon managed to rasp out, shutting his eyes against the bright light that emanated from beneath the strange man’s hood. “They took…took Seungyoon…”

 

“Took him!??! Who took him!?! Where!!?” Jinu nearly screamed in frustration. He had been so close to finding his friend. So close.

 

Sitting back on his heels next to the injured man, he considered what to do. He needed to go after them. But he also felt a bit guilty leaving this Terran here alone and injured. Maybe he could be of some help.

 

“I can…help you. I’ll help you…kill those bastards.” Hoon tried to sit up, but Jinu shook his head and pushed him back down. “Patch me up. And we’ll go after them.”

 

Jinu looked him up and down for a bit, considering him. His face was almost the exact opposite of Jinu’s; narrow cat-like eyes and jet black hair contrasted sharply with his wide eyes and silvery light hair. After what seemed like an eternity, the solider nodded slowly.

 

“How do you know Seungyoon?” Jinu asked carefully as he sprayed something he had found in the kit the man had instructed him to bring over.

 

“My kid brother found him passed out in the street or something.” he hesitated a moment before replying.

 

“Mmm. Would you stay still?” Jinu clicked his tongue and ordered in frustration as his patient continued to shift.

 

There was more silence.

 

“I’m Lt. Jinu.” he remarked offhandedly.

 

“So you’re Jinu?” the man chuckled faintly, “Seungyoon talked about you so much. He always believed that you’d come for him.”

 

Jinu looked down at him, surprised. Seungyoon had thought about him? He couldn’t fail him now. His face hardened and he turned back to his work.

 

“Let’s just get this blaster wound taken care of…” he paused and looked at the other, obviously expecting a name.

 

“Hoon.”

 

“Hoon.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof...I can't believe I'm almost finished with this...


	10. Chapter Ten

 

“Sir, are we not going back to headquarters with him?” Jip asked, leaning over where Zhin was flying the ship through unfamiliar territory.

 

“That was never the plan you dumbass. Do you really think I’d give him up to _headquarters_? The others, yes. They were worthless. But him? He’s special. You’ll see.” Zhin gave a surprisingly calm answer.

 

Jip scratched his head in confusion but remained silent. Mino’s cursing could still be heard as he hurled insults until his throat was hoarse.

 

“Damn, he’s annoying. Will someone shut him up?” the leader sighed tiredly and rubbed his temples.

 

“On it.” Jip turned and entered the main hold where Sam sat with a long-suffering face next to Mino who was restrained in his seat but still using everything in his power to be a nuisance.

 

On the ground lay Seungyoon’s unconscious form, now again having black marks dotting his translucent skin that hurt Mino’s heart. He thought back to the day he had brought the prince in and decided he never wanted to see those marks on his skin again. At least like this, he wasn’t in any pain.

 

“You’re beginning to annoy us.” Jip stood in front of Mino and grabbed his jaw and squeezed, leaning in. “This what we did when that Caelan wouldn’t stop crying.”

 

A cold hand wrapped around Mino’s throat and he struggled before he realized it wasn’t a hand but cool metal; the same thing he had found on Yoon’s neck when he had first taken him in. Instantly all of his yells were swallowed up into a muted silence. Jip drew back with a smile.

 

“That’s much better. I don’t want to be around an irritated boss.”

 

 

The ship continued to travel away from the city and through an open plain, towards the wreckage of a foreign-looking craft. It was half plunged beneath the ground which was plowed up around it, like it had fallen from a great height.

 

“Where are we going?” Jip shared a glance with Sam, who shrugged.

 

At that moment, Seungyoon stirred with a groan. His leg throbbed so painfully he could barely think and he was lying on cold hard metal. It reminded him of when he had first been kidnapped. He blinked trying to shake the dizziness and disorientation, but his mind remained fuzzy and uncooperative and his body felt sluggish. What sort of drugs had they put into him? He could vaguely make out the shape of what was at least wearing the same clothes as Mino and he panicked. Was he okay?! It was Seungyoon’s fault he was in this mess to begin with, he had tried to protect him and now— a random memory came to him, it was all he had to cling to anymore. He was going to die, and if he was going to die, he wanted his last memories to be happy ones.

 

_It was his sixteenth birthday, and the entirety of Caelum was celebrating. Yoon, however, lived for the quiet moments like this as his mother and him stood side by side, leaning against the delicately carved balcony rail, watching the sun set in colors of pink and orange that matched her dress. His robes were a shocking white with iridescent silver woven through that reflected all sunlight. Maybe tonight, he thought, since it was his birthday, he would finally ask her about his father. Just as he turned and opened his mouth, she spoke first._

 

_“Seungyoon, I’m so proud of you. Everyday. You know that, right?”_

 

_“Nothing could make me happier! I want you to be proud, mom, I really do. I want to be someone worthy of succeeding you.” he smiled, the words making his heart fill._

 

_“My little man, all grown up!” she reached in to pinch his cheeks and he rolled his eyes and moved away, giggling a bit._

 

_“Aghhhh, mom! Stop!”_

 

_“Sweetie, I want you to promise me something.” his mother turned towards him and placed a hand on his shoulder._

 

_“Of…course?”_

 

_“When you’re president someday, I want you to be the light.”_

 

_“I don’t—?”_

 

_“Someday you’ll understand.” with an enigmatic expression, she pulled him close to her side and he draped an arm across her shoulder._

 

_“I love you, Seungyoonie.”_

 

_“I love you too, mom.”_

 

He missed his mother. He’d never even gotten to say goodbye, one last ‘I love you’. A jolt and the sound of engines turning off was heard and he closed his eyes. Maybe he should accept his fate. But even if he had accepted it, that didn’t mean Mino deserved it. If anything, he was sorry for that. Sorry for Mino.

 

He felt himself being lifted off the ground and opted to keep his eyes shut and fake unconsciousness. It was better when he was asleep and didn’t have to see.

 

“Bring him and let’s go.” the voice he now recognized as Zhin’s ordered.

 

Something about the man was odd. He was strangely warm compared to the other Terrans he had had contact with: Mino, Hoon, the other two lackeys, Sam and Jip? Yoon could feel the heat even now, whereas when Mino had carried him, he had felt a comparative coolness. For someone to feel warm to Seungyoon meant that they possessed a great deal of heat themselves.

 

“Get up.” Sam ordered Mino, dragging him to his feet by his arms and off the ship.

 

Mino knew by now, there was no point in struggling, so he stayed still. His curiosity, however, had been piqued. As they exited, he noticed they were in the middle of a large plain, lightning crackled across the sky overhead, illuminating them in its cold white glow, not a warm one like Seungyoon’s, who he saw was still limp. He was glad the other was not yet awake to feel the pain in his leg and body. The place was a crashed ship, and Mino’s heart skipped a beat. This ship must be Caelan.

 

“Sir…where are we?” Jip frowned as he took in the surroundings, the strangely warm wind whipping around them.

 

Mino noted the confusion in the subordinate’s voice. This was new to them too, was it?

 

“Just shut up and follow me.” the other hissed and Mino didn’t miss the way he held Seungyoon like he was some sort of prized possession.

 

They walked up a long ramp that had been rigged together to lead up to the main part of the ship that still stuck above ground. The second they entered, Mino knew beyond doubt this was Caelan technology. It reminded him of Yoon’s data pad and the lines and symbols everywhere were like those on Yoon’s clothing…and his shoulder. He wondered about that mark on his shoulder; what it all meant and where Yoon had gotten it. Caelans were supposedly just evolved humans, but no amount of evolution would be able to explain the appearance of a unique mark that only a few of a certain bloodline had on their left shoulder.

 

The entire interior had been turned into a huge…Mino couldn’t even imagine what. Energy converter? There were wires everywhere all leading back and forth between two chairs that looked like they had once been for the captain and crew to sit in, when this thing still functioned like a normal ship. He took one look at the chair and grimaced, turning away. It _was_ an energy converter, and that man was going to put Seungyoon in that and suck the life out of him.

 

“Make yourself comfortable, _Mino._ ” the leader laughed, casually gesturing to his men to dump him unceremoniously on the floor.

 

Seungyoon felt himself being placed in a chair, and he opened his eyes with a gasp, looking into Zhin’s cold ones. Unlike Mino or Hoon, Zhin didn’t look away, or even flinch when gazing directly at him.

 

“Hello Seungyoon.” he grinned and Seungyoon squirmed uncomfortably.“Don’t move around, you’ll just make it worse.”

 

“Wh-who are you? _Really._ ” he gasped out, trying to keep his voice steady.

 

“Someone doing the work of God.” and Seungyoon screamed as Zhin shoved four long needles into each of his arms.

 

He was helpless to do anything as thick straps held him in place, and he couldn’t bear to look down at his mutilated forearms.

 

Mino wanted to close his eyes, to turn away, do anything but sit there are watch, but at the same time he couldn’t tear his gaze away.

 

“Mino…” Yoon whispered, turning his head to the side, sweat starting to form on his forehead even though he was freezing cold, “I’m sorry you have to watch this.”

 

What on earth was he apologizing for?! Mino shook his head fiercely, still unable to speak.

 

“I think I’ll have no further need of your services.” Zhin pulled out a blaster and before anyone could move, the bodies of Sam and Jip hit the floor with a thud.

 

“Now, Seungyoon,” he brushed the hair out of Yoon’s panicked eyes, “are you ready?”

 

****************

 

“How on earth are we going to find them now?” Jinu paced back and forth as Hoon fished around in his old work bag for something.

 

“Just hang on a second…aha!” he grunted as he found what he was looking for and pulled it out with a triumphant flourish somewhat diminished by pain. “This is a tracker—”

 

“Well what good is that going to do us? I already have something to pick up energy signatures, but the ship will have erased it by now, there’s no way to trace it.” Jinu rolled his eyes as if he were explaining it to a child.

 

“—I’m. Not. Finished. This tracker is used by Pirates. Well, alright, it’s used by me. Since I’m the pilot, I can use this to pick up on the homing signal that the ship sends out. We can follow that and we’ll find them.” Hoon fiddled a bit with the controls on the device, smacking it against the table a few times.

 

If Jinu thought anything about the information Hoon had just revealed about being a pirate, he didn’t show it. Maybe it was because he was so desperate to get Seungyoon back that he didn’t care who he was working with, but Hoon was grateful there was no confrontation.

 

“Damn there’s a lot of interference. It’s nearby some sort of huge energy surge—“ he stopped suddenly before yanking Jinu along out the door and sprinting towards the nearest shipyard. “We need to go, _now!_ ”

 

He shoved a security robot out of the way and ignored its mechanical warnings as he jumped into the nearest rickety transport ship he could find and motioned for Jinu to do the same.

 

“Get in.” he ordered as it sputtered to a start, engines emitting a greenish glow.

 

“Wait, are we stealing this?!”

 

“Look, that huge energy surge is most probably your precious Seungyoon, and if we don’t get there within the next twenty minutes, he’ll be dead, so get in here and stop wasting time.”

 

At that, Jinu snapped into action and Hoon set the ship on full acceleration even though they were still in an industrial area of the city. He looked over a few times at Jinu, who had pulled out some sort of syringe looking device and injected a strange liquid into his arm, clenching his jaw the whole time. Hoon had seen enough Caelan tears to know he was trying not to cry. Again, guilt hit him. If Seungyoon died, it would be his fault. Mino could be already dead, and if he was Hoon would never forgive himself. When Hoon wasn’t looking, Jinu reached for the little black device that the president had given him and pressed the button twice: the signal that meant he had found Seungyoon.

 

As they left the city and began to cross the vast plain, following the small blinking dot that glitched periodically, they were startled by a sudden burst of light streaking down from the clouds, brighter than the flashes of lightning; its landing sending out a shockwave of light that caused every piece of machinery on the ship to fizzle from the interference.

 

“Holy shit what _was_ that?” Hoon turned to Jinu for an answer.

 

The soldier didn’t reply immediately, but a smile slowly spread across his face and he nodded.

 

“Help.” he answered finally.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, this chapter is a little short because I couldn't find a good stopping point in the document (this is what I get for not actually writing in chapters like a normal person), but the next one will be much longer :)


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh, just a quick warning, there's some torture in here but it's not graphically described. Also death. Nothing is graphic but I figured I'd put a warning.

Seungyoon couldn’t even scream. His mouth hung open as his head was thrown back, but no sound came out. It was the worst pain he had ever felt in his life, even compared to the sizzling pain from a few weeks ago when they had hit him with that baton up on Caelum. It was as if millions of sharp little claws had pierced his skin and were ripping up his insides bit by bit. He was drenched with sweat even though he was freezing cold, hair sticking to his face and clothes plastered against his skin. He couldn’t think much in the state he was in, but the thoughts that did cross his mind were of Jinu, of Mino, and of his mother. Everything hurt and he just wanted for it to be over, for the calm of death to overtake him.

 

Mino could do nothing but sob next to the dead bodies of his former guards. He wasn’t anywhere near strong enough to break the thick restraints that held him in place, though if he could have through sheer will he would have. Seungyoon, Seungyoon who was so kind, so gentle, who wanted to be a good ruler, who only cared about others, deserved none of this. He could see the swirling iridescent liquid through the clear tubes, but for once, it didn’t fascinate him, it disgusted him, made him sick. That was what kept Seungyoon _alive,_ it didn’t belong in those tubes, it belonged in his veins.

 

Suddenly, the entire ship shuddered and shut down, the power flickering off. Seungyoon slumped in the chair and Zhin screamed a string of curses in an unknown language. Mino could see much better now that it was dark, and he sat up straighter, more alert. Someone, or something, was coming up the walkway. The steps grew closer and closer and he saw Zhin fumble for a laser weapon and go to stand in front of Yoon, aiming it at the door and shaking. Clearly he knew who or what was coming, and it scared Mino. If Zhin was afraid, it was probably something horrifying, and he was going to die.

 

The door flew open and Mino instantly covered his eyes because of the blinding light. It was like nothing he’d ever seen, not even with Seungyoon, and it was so bright he could still see it even though his eyelids were closed. Zhin, however, didn’t cover his eyes. He didn’t need to.

 

“Eunji…Eunji you came! I waited so long…” he babbled, half-laughing, half-crying as the figure approached. “Are we going to war Eunji? We can wipe them out! We can kill them all! We'll be rid of them forever!”

 

He was screaming by this point and understanding hit Mino as if he had suddenly been plunged into the icy depths of reality. Zhin didn’t want Seungyoon for the money. Seungyoon was _bait._ Bait for war. He had heard stories, _legends_ of a weapon possessed by the Caelans that harnessed the power of the sun: fission. And Zhin wanted them to rain down fire on Terra until the planet was nothing more than a smoking wasteland. This ship…this was Zhin’s ship. He was the Caelan who crashed all those years ago, and now he wanted revenge.

 

“Eunji—“ he was cut off as the figure took him around the throat and lifted him up off the ground.

 

“There will be no war, Yang, if that’s what you wanted.” her voice was calm, a sharp contrast to Zhin’s gasps and wheezes and crazed laughter.

 

“You left me here to rot for fifteen years, and yet you came immediately for _him_. Why? Why did you leave me to die?!?!” he managed to choke out, struggling in her iron grip.

 

“You had a choice to come back, Yang. You’ve been back to Caelum many times, haven’t you? Why didn’t you stay?” Eunji replied, still with the same even voice although it was evident she was holding back tears as she spoke.

 

“Because it was our chance to destroy them! You didn’t _listen,_ Eunji! Jihan, he listened. He kept all the archives, wrote down everything I reported to him. But did you ever listen?! No! You wouldn’t even TELL anyone! You wouldn’t even let our son look at them!” she had released her hold on him enough that he was able to shriek at her, slipping further and further by the second.

 

Eunji shook her head and looked at him sadly.

 

“I don’t even know you anymore. What happened to you, Yang?”

 

“What happened to me?! _What happened to me!?_ I was tortured and experimented on over and over until I managed to escape. I put my own organs back into my body and crawled my way out of that place. They did it to me, they’ve done it to others and they’ll keep doing it! What do you think would have happened to Seungyoon if I hadn’t gotten to him!? They all deserve to _die_!” he threw back his head and laughed as Eunji pulled a knife from her boot and dropped him to the ground, still a shaking mess.

 

“Would you really kill your husband, Eunji?” he looked her in the eye and for the faintest moment, they stared.

 

His stare was lifeless, cold, whatever he once had been was buried under fifteen years of torture and rage.

 

“My husband died twenty years ago.” she whispered before burying the knife into his skull.

 

He inhaled sharply once, and then fell sideways onto the floor just as Hoon and Jinu rushed in, Hoon shielding his eyes from the intense light. Catching sight of Mino, he rushed over to him, snapping his chains and taking him into his arms, wrapping him in a tight hug.

 

“Mino…Mino…thank god. You’re still alive. You’re still alive. You’re okay.” he rocked his younger brother back and forth, burying his face in his hair as Mino could only cry.

 

 

Eunji let the knife clatter to the floor as she stepped over her dead husband’s body to where Seungyoon was. Gently pulling the needles out of his arms, she took his limp head between her hands and looked at him intently. Seungyoon didn’t move at all, and he was cold, so cold.

 

“Seungyoon. Seungyoonie.” she glanced over at the amount of blood that was already in the energy converter and closed her eyes, letting his head fall back gently and straightening up with a sigh.

 

“Ma’am, is he…is he dead?” Jinu gasped as he reached the chair and took one of his friend’s cold lifeless hands into his, tears pricking at his eyes.

 

“Jinu, you look after him alright? Don’t let him be alone.” she instructed, lifting Seungyoon up out of the chair and placing him on the ground on his back. His head lolled to the side, eyes shut, any lines of pain completely smoothed away.

 

“Tell him…how much I love him.” she said finally, placing her hands on his chest.

 

“Seungyoonie,” she murmured, leaning down and pressing a kiss to his forehead, “I love you so, so much. Never forget that, alright?”

 

Her hands began to glow as the light in the room increased. It grew brighter and brighter until the two were enveloped in it so that even Jinu couldn’t see. Mino and Hoon had completely turned their backs and were face down on the floor squirming in pain from the intensity. Finally, it died down and there was a soft thud.

 

Seungyoon still lay on the ground, but his entire body had returned to the healthy glow that it once had, and his chest rose and fell in deep, even breaths. Lying next to him was his mother, the light completely gone from her complexion, and her vibrant white hair now a dull gray. She looked thinner, like a malnourished corpse; as if her life force had been drained from her. Seungyoon frowned slightly and groaned as he stirred from sleep, opening his eyes slowly.

 

“Yoonie!!” Jinu instantly pulled him onto his lap where he knelt, cradling his head against his chest, turning the poor boy away from the sight of his mother’s lifeless body; his mother who had sacrificed everything so he could live.

 

“Jinu?” he rasped out, blinking up at him with a small smile. “You found me. I knew you’d come for me.”

 

“Sure Yoon, I’m here.”

 

“Mino!” he sat up suddenly, remembering “Are you—?”

 

He trailed off as his eyes took in the room: Mino and Hoon over against the wall, the dead bodies of Jip and Sam next to them, Zhin staring at the ceiling with a knife in his forehead, and finally his mother next to where Jinu was kneeling with him.

 

“Mom….?” he stood up shakily and took a few steps before collapsing next to her.

 

He knelt there for a few minutes, clutching his chest. The only sound was the hum of the ship as the power came back on. A blank expression came across his face and he turned back to Jinu.

 

“Jinu…” he shook his head lightly, looking so lost in that moment that Jinu’s heart practically broke in two “I can’t…I can’t seem to cry.” he whispered.

 

Something stuck in his throat, and he slowly got to his feet.

 

“Yoon? Yoonie?” Jinu called, standing up to follow Seungyoon who had started to walk towards the door. “Where are you going?” 

 

He stopped, at the question, but he didn’t turn around.

 

“Home.” he replied simply.

 

Seungyoon wanted to cry. He wanted to scream himself hoarse. But instead, he felt nothing. It was like his emotions had been drained away and all that was left was a sharp pain in his stomach that grew with every passing second. He looked upwards only to be met with the black clouds that covered the earth, endless clouds. Lighting flickered across the sky, lighting with no rain. He could vaguely sense Jinu running towards him. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, feeling the power run through his veins, power he shouldn’t have, he thought bitterly, the power that was his mother’s.

 

The force knocked Jinu backward as Yoon flew upwards in a bolt of light. He watched helplessly until he disappeared up beyond the clouds.

 

“Shit.” he mumbled.

 

“What are you just standing there for?” someone’s voice grabbed his attention and he followed the sound until his eyes rested on Mino, standing in the doorway where Yoon had stood not moments before, looking at him expectantly. “We need to go after him!”

 

“Mino, are you crazy? You’ll die up there!” Hoon crossed his arms, “I’m going with you.”

 

“Look, whatever, alright? You two can bicker in a brotherly display of affection later. I don’t care who’s coming with me, but we need to get back to my ship now.” Jinu groaned.

 

The three of them made their way back to the ship Jinu and Hoon had come in.

 

“Why can’t we just use this one?” Mino asked, bouncing impatiently.

 

“Because it isn’t equipped to exit the cloud layer. It would disintegrate. No shields protecting it from the radiation.” Hoon replied. “Sit down please.”

Mino was silent as he thought about everything that had happened in the short amount of time. Seungyoon had left so suddenly, so abruptly, he was worried. Zhin…or Yang…Mino didn’t know what to call him, had wanted to blow Terra to outer space because of what they had done to him, what if Yoon—No, Yoon was too kind…Yoon wouldn’t. Seungyoon…he had just…left. Mino knew he shouldn’t be so selfish, Seungyoon was in pain, saying goodbye to Mino, someone he had only known for two weeks, was probably the last thing on his mind; and yet somehow Mino still felt hurt. Hoon and Jinu? They had no idea. They didn’t know about Yang, they didn’t know about how he wanted to destroy the world, and they didn’t know he was Seungyoon’s father. He rested his head on his knees and closed his eyes.


	12. Chapter 12

The feeling of flying was exhilarating, like nothing Seungyoon had ever felt before. The water from the clouds had soaked him to the bone, but dried nearly instantly as he broke through into the light of the sun, a blinding brilliant light that he had missed so much. All around him floated a sea of light pink and orange, soft and fluffy, like home. He paused for a moment to take it all in. It reminded him of the dress his mother had worn to his sixteenth birthday. Soft and flowing with oranges and pinks and light yellows, like the clouds. And yet still, even at the memory, he couldn’t seem to cry a single tear. Frustrated, he turned toward Caelum, the light purple of the radiation shield shimmering in the distance. Up through the opening at the bottom, he flew straight towards Hanuel. The workers on Ciel stopped to watch, wiping the sweat off their forehead, the scientists on Cosmia looked out their laboratory windows in wonder, and the people on Hanuel gazed in awe as he stopped directly in front of the capital.

 

“Prince Seungyoon?”

 

Yoon looked around him surprised as the light around him dimmed down, seeing all the royal guard surrounding him. Jihan approached him cautiously, slowly stepping forward, stopping when Seungyoon raised his hand.

 

“I don’t...understand...” the former prince’s voice trailed off as an expression of pain came across his face “why does it hurt so much?”

 

A flood of emotion swept over him, and he crumpled to the ground with his face buried in his hands, all the tears that wouldn’t come before now overwhelming him.

 

“Seungyoon, what happened?” Jihan knelt down beside him, shooing away the rest of the soldiers.

 

“Mom, she just” he suppressed a sob, before pausing “...oh, I’m under arrest, aren’t I?” He sniffled a bit and turned up towards the man.

 

Seungyoon had known Jihan for almost his entire life, he had always looked out for him, even before Jinu was old enough to.

 

“No, Seungyoon. Jinu sent us a message, that it was a plot by the Terrans to get you arrested. You’re completely innocent, it was all a mistake.” The older man comforted him.

 

“Oh.” Seungyoon said in a small voice.

 

“Come on, let’s get you inside.” He helped the grieving Prince to his feet and ushering him towards the palace. “We can deal with the Terran problem there.”

 

“I’m just...I’m so angry Jihan...I’ve never been this angry!” The foreign emotion was completely overwhelming and it scared Seungyoon. It felt like the burning that had sparked through his veins when he had been tased all those weeks ago. He wanted to scream, cry, hit something, anything to get rid of the horrible feeling.

 

“Listen to me, Seungyoon.” Jihan sat him down in a chair, “you have every right to be. They kidnapped you, I’m guessing they tortured you, they killed your mother, they killed your father years ago; they’ve taken everything from you. They’re monsters!”

 

Deep down, something told Seungyoon that he shouldn’t listen to Jihan, that these words sounded so much like words he’d heard before. Monsters, they’re monsters. Mino wasn’t a monster! Mino said that—

 

“I don’t care!!” He screamed, more to shut up the voice in his head than at anyone in particular.

 

“Are you feeling well, sir?” Jihan asked, dubiously.

 

“I don’t know...” Seungyoon groaned as he held his aching head. “I’m scared Jihan, if what you’ve said is true I can’t....if I’m going to be a good president and protect the people, I...I always wanted peace but I don’t know if we can ever have that.”

 

Jihan straightened from where he had poured a drink, and crossed back over to where Seungyoon sat with his head in his hands. For a moment, he faltered. He knew it was manipulative, what he was about to do. Seungyoon was emotionally unstable, and he truly did care for him, but this was what Yang had wanted, this was what Jihan wanted, this was what was best for everyone. He never understood why Eunji had continued to persist in her decision, even after they took her husband and her son. It would be better if Terra was destroyed.

 

“Seungyoon, cone with me, I want to show you something.”

 

The young president merely stood and let Jihan lead him towards the elevator, eyes unfocused, staring blankly at some corner of the wall.

 

“Your mother wanted me to show you this.” The older man said finally, after watching Yoon out of the corner of his eye and seeing no change in his expression.

 

“Mom?” Yoon brightened slightly at that, an expression of relief washing over his face.

 

It stung Jihan all the more because it was a lie, but sacrifices must be made.

 

They rode the elevator down, further down that Yoon had ever gone, even for the archives, he was sure. So far down he was surprised they hadn’t reached Level Cosmia yet. It came to a stop with a jolt, and the light in the elevator turned red, the doors sliding open to reveal a completely alien looking room. It was full of control panels with technology Yoon didn’t understand, but somehow felt inexplicably drawn to; it was foreign yet seemed so familiar.

 

“Where are we, Jihan?” Yoon asked in a whisper, not daring to step forward until the guard took him by the shoulders and guided him forward.

 

“This is the heart of Caelum, Seungyoon. This is—“

 

“Stop.” A voice behind them made both freeze in their tracks, turning around to come face to face with Jinu, holding a weapon.

 

“Jinu, what are you doing?” Seungyoon sounded scared and it hurt Jinu’s heart, but he kept still.

 

“Get away from him, Jihan.” he held out his hand. “Yoonie, come away from him.”

 

Seungyoon only looked more confused and frightened, but didn’t move.

 

“Lt, what are you doing, pointing a gun at the president like that?” Jihan sneered. “What do you want? I thought you died down there.”

 

“You’re under arrest.” Jinu continued, never breaking eye contact.

 

“For what?” Jihan laughed.

 

“For planning President Seungyoon’s kidnapping, for conspiring against authority, and...for what you’re about to do, which is use Seungyoon for access to the weapon you’ll use to obliterate Terra.” The soldier narrowed his eyes, and Jihan‘s mocking smile fell.

 

“You can never prove all of that.” He growled, turning quickly to grab at Seungyoon, who gasped and tried to scramble away before being caught in his strong grip.

 

“Let go of me!!” the younger struggled and twisted but to no avail, and his actions were quickly stilled when he felt something sharp pressed to his throat.

 

“I can prove it.” Jinu managed to keep his voice even although he was losing his confidence quickly seeing Yoon with a blade at his neck in Jihan’s grasp as he inched the two of them towards the control board.

 

“He’s telling the truth Seungyoon!” A new voice came from the shadows and Yoon’s eyes flew in its direction.

 

“Mino??”

 

“I heard everything Yoon! I have a recording! Please Yoon, don’t let him destroy my home...please. Your mother died so you could live and make peace! Please...please do something!”

 

Yoon looked for any sign that he was lying. There was none. Was it true his mother refused to take any sort of military action against Terra? Is that what kidnapping him was for in the first place? Just to provoke an act of war? His mother had risked her own life to come and save him instead of just sending soldiers down after him. That had to be some sort of message. It couldn’t have been an accident that he had met Mino, someone good who cared for him, who saved his life. He certainly hadn’t flown all the way back up here to Caelum, to fulfill his dreams of becoming president just for his first act to be one of war—he frowned. Something struck him suddenly. He _flew._ He was certain he had never been able to fly before. But that would mean...

 

“You may want to close your eyes.” He spoke suddenly, seemingly to no one in particular.

 

Mino smiled slightly and nodded, turning around just as Yoon knocked his head back hard against Jihan, causing the latter to stumble and drop the knife he had been holding. It clattered to the ground as Yoon turned to the older man, brightness increasing until it became even too much for the two Caelans in the room.

 

“You’re going to tell me something, Jihan.” Yoon ordered, walking up to where the other had fallen “What am I? Really? Not even a million years of evolution would be enough for a human to develop any sort of flight.”

 

“I don’t know! I don’t know what they are—what you are. The asteroid that threw off earth’s orbit, it’s here. We’re standing in it! It’s a ship. Caelum is a ship.” Jihan floundered. “You would have been told when you became president....”

 

“So that’s why you couldn’t do anything without Yoon! The ship only responds to...him now.” Jinu growled. “You were just going to make him destroy an entire planet, Jihan.”

 

“Jinu.” Yoon held up his hand and shook his head. 

 

“Also that’s why you’re such a heavyweight!!! There’s no way anyone could drink seventeen whole vodka slushies and feel nothing! Pssht!” Jinu persisted, crossing his arms “I feel VERY justified!”

 

“Jihan,” Yoon continued, ignoring Jinu although a small smile twitched on the corners of his lips, “one more thing. Who was my father?”

 

Jihan opened his mouth to reply when Mino spoke up again.

 

“Zhin.”

 

Seungyoon turned his head briefly, frowning a bit before his attention focused again on his old bodyguard.

 

“Please answer my question, Jihan.”

 

The older man hesitated a minute before sighing and sitting up.

 

“He’s right.”

 

Yoon looked at him expectantly, but Jihan closed his mouth after that, seemingly internally conflicted whether to tell Yoon more.

 

“Answer his question.” Hissed Jinu, striding towards him, eyes full of venom, causing him to back up against the control board.

 

“Jinu, please.” Yoon practically whispered, the crack in his voice making the soldier halt and look at him questioningly.

 

“Jihan, tell me everything about my father, and I’ll drop all your charges.”

 

“Seungyoon—!” The protest came but was cut short.

 

“ _President_ Seungyoon. Please don’t interfere. I won’t ask again.” Yoon’s voice had an edge to it Jinu had never heard before, and his eyes never left Jihan’s, piercing white gaze staring into the depths of his soul.

 

Finally, he nodded.

 

“I’ll tell you everything.” Seungyoon relaxed a bit at this, and his eyes grew softer.

 

“Twenty years ago, your father’s ship crashed on Terra. Your mother and I went down and tried to find him, but he had disappeared completely, no trace. President Eunji decided to drop the search after a month; I don’t blame her. She had you. But me...I had no one. Yang had been the only one, but he loved Eunji, so I let him go. He was happy with her, and they loved you so much. That was the only reason I was willing to let you get taken. Yang seemed so…I didn’t think he would treat you that way, and I’m sorry, I didn’t realize…I didn’t realize he was so far gone.”

 

Jihan’s voice broke a bit, and Yoon sat down on the ground next to him, scooting over with his back against the alien control panel.

 

“I thought I was imagining it when he came back onto Terra and found me. I asked him so much: why he didn’t go to Eunji, why he didn’t stay, how he was still alive. But all he ever asked me about was you. And I couldn’t help it, I had to tell him everything. I told him all our security measures, how to get past them, and how to get to you. I always knew you were sneaking around down in the archives. I thought…by doing this…I would bring Yang back. But now he _and_ Eunji are dead. This isn’t what I wanted.”

 

A small tear slipped down his face, and Yoon put a hand gently on the elder’s shoulder.

 

“I’m sorry for you, Jihan. I wish things had been different, too.” he spoke quietly, the low humming of machinery the only other sound in the room. Jinu and Mino had left at some point, he didn’t know when.

 

“Seungyoon,” Jihan looked over at him and shook his head, reaching out to ruffle his hair before stopping himself and placing his hand back on his leg. “If things had been the way I wanted, you would never have existed. Believe me, it’s better this way. In the end, I got what I deserved.”

 

He closed his eyes, leaning his head back until it rested against the buzzing black metal of the alien ship. Yoon inclined his head a bit, and the two sat in silence for a while until the young President finally stood up.

 

“Do I look like him?” he asked abruptly, causing Jihan to open his eyes and blow a bit of air out his nose.

 

He looked intently at Seungyoon for a minute, taking in his features. The heavenly glow, the strands of white hair that hung delicately in his face, the curve of his nose. Eunji had been the one of royal—alien—blood, the one with the tattoo. He let out a long breath before returning to his previous position.

 

“No. No, nothing like him.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter after this! Thank you to everyone who has read it, and left such nice comments, it means a lot! :)


	13. Thirteen

“Mino,” Hoon touched his brother’s arm lightly, as the two leaned against the railing of the balcony, watching the sun come around, something they had never seen before.

 

“Mmm?” the younger lifted his head from where it was resting on his arms, not taking his eyes off of the sight before him.

 

“I wanted to talk. About what happened. Back at the house.” he continued, nervously picking at his sleeve.

 

In all his life, he had never felt this in front of Mino. Zhin, yes. Zhin had made him nervous. But Mino? Never. And yet here he was, barely able to look his brother in the eye.

 

“You were a pirate. I know.” Mino settled back down on the railing and continued to watch the sky as a light hint of blue began to creep across the darkness.

 

“Wha—“

 

“It wasn’t that hard to figure out, Hoon. I always wondered what you did, since you never told me, and the fact that you didn’t want to was already suspicious. Secondly,” he turned to face him now, “I may have…overheard your conversation with Seungyoon.”

 

Seeing the look on Hoon’s face, Mino quickly continued:

 

“I wasn’t trying to, I swear! It was just, I wanted to bring him breakfast and…I’m sorry.” he finished. “I never brought it up because…I wanted you to do it.”

 

“I understand if you can’t…” Hoon looked down at his feet, lowering his gaze away from Mino’s. “If you think less of me.”

 

“No!” Mino rushed, quickly, taking his older brother by the shoulders. “Seungyoon doesn’t. He forgave you, and he would want me to forgive you.”

 

“But, Mino, do _you_ forgive me?” Hoon met the younger’s eyes and held it this time, pleading. “Not for Seungyoon.”

 

“I do. Because you’re my brother. And because you’re sorry. Seungyoon was the one you hurt, and Seungyoon was the one you’ve made it up to. And I’ve seen that.”

 

Hoon let out a sigh of relief, shoulder slumping as a weight that had been on them for years was finally lifted. Mino’s arms snaked around him, pulling him into a tight hug.

 

“I know you did it for me, so I wouldn’t have to work.” he whispered softly, “I’m sorry for being so selfish.”

 

Belatedly, the realized the sun had already risen and they were bathed in its bright morning light, the sky having become its normal blue color.

 

“Idiot!” Mino grumbled playfully, sniffling a bit as he wiped the tears that had pricked his eyes, “We missed the first sunrise.”

 

 

******************

 

 

“Do I have to wear that? It looks uncomfortable.” Yoon whined as Jinu showed him the massive tiara that he was going to wear later in the day.

 

It matched the color of his eyes, brilliant white metal that reflected light of all colors. Spinning circles moved up and down three tall spires. He complained the entire time it was being fixed onto his head for practice. The three women who were doing it kept casting nervous glances at Mino, who sat on the bed with a visor covering his eyes that the scientists on Cosmia had made for him, laughing as Seungyoon protested and whined at everything that was done to him.

 

“Stop complaining.” Jinu ordered, seeing the long-suffering looks of the stylists as they placed glittering holographic stripes of makeup on Yoon’s cheeks and eyes. “You’re moving around too much.”

 

Surprisingly, Seungyoon quieted down and seat still after that and his stylists were able to finish in peace. Mino watched with interest. Everything here was both devoid of all color yet overwhelmingly colorful at the same time. The witness reflected everything in rainbows, and it was slightly overwhelming. Yes, back on Terra there were colors but they were all faded neon that had been dimmed by the passage of time and too many years in the dark rain. He found himself almost missing the rain, the calming rhythm of the drops. Up here, everything was bright and colorful and lively, so unlike everything he was used to. However, he couldn’t find it in himself to want to return. He loved this, it was everything he had ever wanted. It had taken the three of them: Hoon, Yoon and Jinu to drag him away from the labs in Cosmia where he had terrorized the scientists by asking a million questions.

 

“Alright, President Seungyoon, we are ready.” one of the women bowed and the two others followed her out of the room.

 

Yoon took a deep breath. He was nervous, and he had to physically restrain himself from shaking. Suddenly, he didn’t feel ready. He had prepared for this his whole life, becoming president, and yet now…he had never imagined it would happen in this way and quite frankly he was scared. He felt his chest tightening and a ringing in his ears. It was like he couldn’t breathe as his mind raced a mile a minute. What if he made things worse? What if he caused a war? What if he ruined the economy? What if people suffered because of him?—

 

“Yoonie. Yoonie, Breathe for me, Yoonie.” he realized Jinu was talking to him, and he had wrapped him in his arms as best he could while trying not to ruin is outfit. “There you go. Just in and out.”

 

He held his young friend close to his chest, patting his hair comfortingly as he whispered soothing words in his ear. Seungyoon clutched at the fabric of Jinu’s dress uniform, clenching fistfuls of the fabric in his hands as he tried to calm his erratic breaths. Jinu was there the whole time, patiently talking him down from his panic. Slowly Yoon’s breathing started to slow down and he was left with embarrassment. He pushed his face into his older friend’s shoulder as his cheeks turned pink.

 

“I’m sorry Jinu…I need to…ah this is such an awful start…How can I ever be president if I can’t even handle a stupid coronation…” he mumbled disconsolately.

 

“Seungyoon, if you were completely confident, I would be worried. The fact that you are nervous shows that you have respect for this position, which you should. This is going to be your life, Yoon, almost a million people entrusted to your care.” he continued to gently rock Seungyoon back and forth, rearranging his messy hair. “You know, I hope you keep this fear. Not every fear is bad, you know. Fear only becomes bad when you let it control you. You’re allowed to be afraid, you _should_ be afraid. But work with the fear, Seungyoon, don’t just allow it to control you.”

Seungyoon raised his head to give Jinu a watery smile.

 

“Thank you, Jinu. You’ll always be with me, right?”

 

“I’m not going to leave you, Yoonie.” Jinu promised.

 

“Good,” Yoon grinned, pulling back and looking in the mirror to assure himself that nothing had come out of place. “Because you’re going to replace Jihan.”

 

“Uh..now wait Seungyoon…I’m not sure…” Jinu stammered, unsure.

 

“Oh, what happened to fear not controlling you?” the younger giggled, poking his chest and standing up.

 

“Can you please send Mino in?” he glanced around, noticing the Terran was no longer in the room, “I want to see him.”

 

 

 

Mino was standing awkwardly outside Seungyoon’s door, trying to ignore all of the glances that were cast his way. In all honesty, he couldn’t say he felt much aversion, only curiosity or slight discomfort, and that at least was comforting. Of course they weren’t scared of him, why would they be? He was powerless up here…nearly blinded if it wasn’t for the mechanism on his eyes…was this how Yoon had felt?

 

“Hey, kid, Yoon wants to see you.” the voice that he recognized as belonging to Jinu startled him slightly.

 

“Me?” Mino blinked and pointed to himself, momentarily shocked.

 

“Go on.” Jinu held the door so it wouldn’t shut, and jutted his chin out in the direction of the room. Before Mino entered, Jinu grabbed his elbow gently. “Say something nice to him, he’s very nervous.”

 

Seungyoon sat on a chair in the corner of the huge dressing room, hands folded in his lap, clasping and unclasping them, eyes shut. His crystalline robes reflected a myriad of colors, and Mino found himself squinting even from behind the visor.

 

“Hello, Seungyoon.” Mino greeted politely, hovering in the door. Before, when Yoon was down on Terra, curled up in the bed, wearing Mino’s clothes, he was far less intimidating. He was just sweet Seungyoon. But now, dressed in his royal regalia, here on Caelum, something about him was just slightly intimidating.

 

However, for Seungyoon, it was as though nothing had changed.

 

“Mino!” his eyes lit up when he caught sight of the Terran and he patted the arm of the chair, motioning for Mino to sit down.

 

The older complied, perching on the seat next to him.

 

“You wanted to see me, Yoon?” he asked.

 

“Mmhmm.” the younger nodded.

 

To Mino’s surprise, Yoon stretched his arms out to him and wrapped them around his waist before snuggling into him happily.

 

“What’s this about?” Mino ruffled his hair with a chuckle and the boy mumbled something incoherent in protest at having his hair disheveled again.

 

“You know, I feel like I never thanked you properly for saving my life.” Yoon spoke from where his head rested on Mino.

 

“Seungyoon, I don’t need anything in return, really, I don’t.” he brushed his thumb across his shoulders, getting a solid transfer of glitter onto himself.

 

Yoon tightened his arms around Mino, clinging onto him.

 

“Hey, you’re going to get glitter all over me Yoonie.” the Terran chuckled, his dark skin a sharp contrast to Yoon’s much lighter, and glitter covered, skin.

 

“Mino…” the voice came again, timidly, “You were there when…when…” he paused before starting again, “What happened?”

 

Mino stiffened, involuntarily pulling the younger closer to him protectively, reminded of the painful memory of Yoon’s agony as his life force got wrenched from him.

 

“Seungyoon,” he murmured softly into the young President’s hair, “the only thing you have to know about that day is that your mother loved you so much. You…I think you died, Yoonie. And she gave you her life energy to bring you back. So she believed in you, she knew you could do this, and she wanted you to live so you could take care of your people.”

 

Yoon blinked up at him as he finished speaking, clearly trying to hold back his tears in fear of ruining his makeup. But he was also smiling, something Mino was grateful for.

 

“I wish you could have met my mother.” he sighed, resting his head back against Mino’s side.

 

A silence fell along with a gentle peace that Yoon hadn’t felt since he woke up this morning, the apprehension for the upcoming ceremony dissipating with each circle Mino rubbed on the palm of his hand with the pad of his thumb. The Terran put his mind at ease in a way that nothing else quite could. The door beeped suddenly, rattling the calm that had spread throughout the room, and both of them jumped a bit.

 

“President Seungyoon, its time.” the voice of the minister Soohee was heard on the other side.

 

“Yes, I’m ready.” he let go of Mino and stood up, hastily brushing himself off and straightening his robes.

 

“Does my makeup look alright, Mino?” he nudged the other and turned around slowly and he gave him a once over.

 

“You look incredible, Seungyoon. I’m happy for you.”

 

“This is for you too, Mino. If it weren’t for you, none of this would…I would have drowned in the mud in some back alley on Terra.” Seungyoon gave a smile that lit up his whole face as he walked past Mino to the door.

 

“Y-yeah..” Mino was too distracted gawking at the material of Yoon’s train that seemed to glisten of its own accord to pay much attention.

 

“Close your mouth, you’re drooling.” Yoon teased, poking his head back around the corner and yanking his train along with him out of reach.

 

“Ugh! Whatever. Maybe I should have left you there!” Mino spluttered.

 

“Uh huh.” the amused voice floated down the hallway as Yoon walked away with Jinu and the Minister, raising a hand in farewell.

 

 

*******************

 

 

Yoon took a deep breath as he gazed out over the sea of faces; his people. They were all silent, waiting expectantly for their new President to address them. He searched the crowd for that one face; one very special face. He almost found himself wishing he could see those dark eyes that looked at him with such care hidden behind their deepest recesses.

 

“All my life,” he began, his voice ringing out clearly, echoing into the sky that was morphing from a brilliant blue into an explosion of yellows and soft pinks, “I had dreamed of this moment. And this was what my mother had dreamed for me, too; to stand in front of you as your President, and lead Caelum to a better and brighter future. When she died, saving me, I questioned whether I…whether I was ready, or worthy. How could I fill the place of someone who was willing to sacrifice everything…for me? But if I don’t do this, if I don’t become who I was meant to be, then she would have died for nothing. She sacrificed herself because somehow, she believed I could be a better president than her, and I have to prove her right; for her, for you, for myself, and for those…” he paused, looking directly at Mino with a smile, “those who became my family now that I no longer have one. I promise I will try each day to be the best President Caelum has ever had, and,”

 

Seungyoon stopped. What he was about to say, had never been spoken of in over a hundred years. But he knew it had to be done. If the world was going to change, it had to start right here, right now, with unifying humanity: those above the clouds and those below.

 

“Bring peace between Caelum and Terra.”

 

The applause roared in his ears as he quietly stepped off the pedestal, gathering his sparkling robes in his hands and breathing out slowly through his nose. As soon as he was out of sight, he felt himself smothered in a hug.

 

“I’m so proud of you Seungyoon.” Jinu whispered, “And I know she is too.”

 

 

~FIN 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Literally a huge thank you to everyone who's read this far and enjoyed it and left such encouraging comments. I love Winner and Seungyoon so much, and IC's are the nicest fandom I love you guys. I'm not new to kpop but I only casually liked Winner until I went to their LA concert and literally the minute Yoon opened his mouth I was like "mom I love a boy". 
> 
> I'm on twitter as @bluejaykat97 if you wanna scream about Winner (or other groups, I'm a multi-stan)


	14. Epilogue!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Dandeliona96 asked me to write an Epilogue for this....and I kinda couldn't resist.
> 
> Here you all go: soft fluffy epilogue with OT4 :)

“ARE THESE FLOWERS??!!” Mino practically sprinted towards a cluster of blue roses over in the corner, bending down to be on eye level with them.

 

“Yeah, those are the flowers.” Yoon called after him, laughing, before turning to Hoon and adding in a lower voice, “We’d better make sure he doesn’t eat them.”

 

“Are you sure I can’t even just…lick them? Just to see?” Mino pleaded, seemingly finding it impossible to believe that these delicate organics couldn’t not taste sugary sweet, like some of the other colored things he’d eaten up here.

 

“You can lick them, Mino, I don’t care, they’re not poisonous. But don’t say I didn’t warn you when you get a mouthful of bitter flowers. Also,” The president glanced around, making sure all of the scientists were preoccupied, “don’t let anyone see you. I think they’d throw a fit if they caught you stuffing one of their carefully curated botanicals into your mouth.”

 

Mino gingerly plucked a petal off of one, and gave it an experimental lick. It didn’t taste like anything, so he resolutely ate the entire thing in one bite, his face immediately scrunching up with the bitterness.

 

“Euuugh!” he shook his head vigorously.

 

“I _told_ you!” Yoon almost collapsed laughing, tears escaping his eyes.

 

“You dumbass…” Hoon shook his head and lightly smacked Mino. “I can’t believe you sometimes.”

 

“So did he eat it?” Jinu appeared behind them, shoving them apart carelessly as he tried to get a better view of Mino’s various facial contortions.

 

“Yep.” Hoon casually leaned his arm on the head bodyguard's shoulder.

 

“Unbelievable. Seungyoon,” he turned suddenly on his younger friend with a mischievous glint in his eyes. “You shouldn’t be laughing. You tried to eat plenty of stuff when you were younger. Nearly gave your mother a heart attack.”

 

“Wha—“ Yoon tried to cover Jinu’s mouth, sensing an embarrassing story coming.

 

“You guys want to hear an embarrassing story about Seungyoonie?” he grinned.

 

“No, they don—“

 

“Sure!” both Hoon and Mino chorused.

 

“I’m the president!” Yoon threatened weakly, but he went ignored by the others, who were clustering around Jinu, eager to hear.

 

“So Seungyoon was pretty little, probably too young to remember this—“ he began.

 

Jinu was always one for over exaggerations and theatrics, so his beginning the story with a casual dismissal of any input from Seungyoon whatsoever was reason for despair of ever regaining dignity. The young president sighed and let himself be dragged along to one of the outside terraces, surrounded by flowers in a rainbow of colors. He barely listened as Jinu regaled the others with some hilarious--but mostly made up--story about when Seungyoon almost got poisoned because he ate a plasma coil because it looked like a noodle.

 

“Hey, you’re pretty quiet, Seungyoon.” Hoon nudged him out of his thoughts and he blinked a few times, startled.

 

His three friends were quiet and looking at him now with mild concern, ready to shower him with overzealous affection the minute he breathed sadly.

 

“Oh, excuse me if I don’t show any enthusiasm for Jinu’s ridiculous lies about my person.” he retorted cheekily, crossing his arms and doing his best to look upset.

 

“It’s alright Yoon, we love you no matter how many stupid things you did as a child.” Jinu patted his head.

 

“Of course! I kidnapped you and you still love me!” Hoon opened his arms with a wide grin on his face and the other three turned to stare at him.

 

“Who said I like you?” Yoon stuck his tongue out at him with a giggle.

 

“Shut up, Hoony.” Mino gave him a shove before turning back to the youngest, “But really, Yoon, you are quiet. Is something wrong?”

 

He hesitated.

 

“I—I think I’m just a bit nervous is all. I don’t know how you and Hoon aren’t. I’m all jittery at just the thought of going back down there into the darkness…” his voice trailed off as he watched the sun reflect off some of the beads of water still clinging to the flowers.

 

“No one is forcing you to go, Seungyoon. It’s understandable to be afraid.” Jinu patted his hand reassuringly.

 

“But I want to do this. More than anything. This is my dream, and I’m not going to let anything get in the way.” Yoon shook his head vigorously before sighing, “Its just…harder than I thought it was going to be, not letting my fear get the best of me.”

 

“And yet, you’re succeeding.” came the reply.

 

The president smiled at that.

 

“I guess I am, aren’t I?”

 

“I say, in celebration of the unification initiation, we all go out for drinks.” Jinu announced suddenly.

 

“You never need an excuse to drink!” Seungyoon protested. “Besides, we all know how drinking ends. We don’t want a repeat of coronation night! I felt like we had to forcibly remove Hoon from the bar—“

 

“Hey! Caelan stuff is strong! It gets to me faster than anything on Terra!” the older Terran tried to defend his non-existent reputation.

 

“But Yoonie, we can just stay in the VIP section! No one will come and bother us! And I’ll get Mingyu to escort us home too. So it’s decided.” the chief officer said with finality, standing up “Drinks tonight guys! Yoon is paying!”

 

“But wait—!”

 

Again, he was ignored as everyone cheered and he settled back into his chair with a smile playing across his features. Maybe, just maybe, his kidnapping had been a good thing.

 

*************

 

Later that night, as he hauled three drunk men home with the help of a laughing Mingyu, he wasn’t so sure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired a little by Jinu literally drinking an entire ass bottle of soju on stage like a hero and Hoon's low tolerance for alcohol XD


End file.
